 Conflicts over water and pasture are common in this barren region |
Dozens of people, mainly children and women, may have died in an early morning armed raid in north-east Kenya, according to eyewitnesses. Police confirm 19 deaths, with locals describing bodies in the streets after an ambush on children going to school.
The attack in the village of Turbi - populated mainly by the Gabra community - is blamed on the rival Borana crossing the border from Ethiopia.
The two groups have feuded over water and pasture in the semi-arid region.
Local people spoke of some 100 dead bodies lying on the streets after the raid.
James Galgalo of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Marsabit, the nearest town to Turbi told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that he believed the raiders were seeking revenge for earlier attacks.
"There have been clashes all around here in the past three months between the Gabra and Borana," he said.
"They are massacring people - from what we saw they used a lot of spears and knives."
He said the bandits were blocking roads and police were unable to get access to help people.
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