Isiolo County: Five killed, including two police officers, in bandit ambush

Five people, including two police officers, were killed in a bandit ambush in Gotu, Isiolo County, on Wednesday. The victims included two officers from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), a member of the National Police Reserve, and two civilians.

Reports indicate the group was part of a search party looking for the body of an elderly man allegedly killed by bandits the previous day in the Chari Ward grazing area. The ambush triggered an exchange of gunfire, after which the attackers fled. Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo condemned the attack, stating that repeated banditry is disrupting livelihoods and undermining peace.

The incident follows a pattern of escalating cattle-rustling and violent crime in the region. A separate attack in Meru County recently resulted in the death of a herdsman. Authorities noted that attackers often cross county lines to evade security. The government is currently conducting Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a security initiative targeting banditry in northern and Rift Valley regions, which includes Isiolo, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, and Marsabit counties.