Two bodies have been recovered in an ongoing joint search operation in Todonyang’, where more than 20 Kenyans were reported missing following last weekend’s attacks at the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the search team is facing significant challenges, including the geographical complexity of Lake Turkana, much of which lies in Ethiopian territory.
Murkomen confirmed that more than 20 individuals remain unaccounted for, and the government has mobilized resources, including diplomatic channels, to address the crisis and ensure the safe return of missing persons.
In a separate issue, Murkomen addressed the case of abducted chiefs from Wajir, affirming the government’s strategy of using local contacts to facilitate their release from suspected Al Shabaab militants.
The attacks in Todonyang’ on Saturday evening saw an unconfirmed number of people killed in an ambush by suspected militia from Ethiopia’s Dassanech community.
Reports indicate that heavily armed assailants indiscriminately fired on Turkana fishermen who were fishing in Lake Turkana near River Omo.
Authorities are still working to determine the total number of casualties, though some estimates suggest the toll could exceed a dozen.
On Sunday afternoon, the National Police Service announced it was investigating “an alleged clash between Turkana and Dassanech fishermen at Lopemukat Common Waters” along the border. CS Murkomen acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that “some Kenyans were harmed.”
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo confirmed that the attack occurred near the border, on the Ethiopian side.
“Ignore the numbers being circulated; they are not accurate. We will provide official information once we complete our verification,” Omollo stated.
Some reports suggest the attack was a retaliatory response after suspected Turkana bandits allegedly shot and killed Dassanech fishermen from Ethiopia near River Omo on Saturday morning.
