Heavy casualties have been reported from north-east Kenya as fighting broke out during a livestock raid.

Kenyan television says more than 70 people have been killed so far, including three policemen.

Kenyan police have confirmed their own losses, but so far have reported only five other casualties, all of them ethnic Somalis.

A police spokesman said however that other people could have been killed and buried without the knowledge of the police.

A further 14 people are in hospital after the attack.

Newspapers reported that trouble had begun early on Sunday, when armed bandits attacked a Somali village, killing villagers and then making off with hundreds of cattle.

The police spokesman said police have so far recovered 500 stolen cows, 300 camels and 100 goats, and that they were still searching for other stolen animals.

Battle

Police battled with the bandits while panic-stricken families fled their homes and camped at Isiolo town, the East African Standard reported.

A police inspector, a constable and a reservist were shot dead as they tried to recover the stolen cattle.

The area where the fighting happened is notorious for banditry and cattle rustling.

Correspondents say the traditional fighting between the Borana and Somali ethnic groups has been made worse by the ready availability of weapons from conflicts in neighbouring areas.

Borana leaders have in the past accused the Somalis of creating insecurity.