Tribesmen kill four civilians

2006-03-14 09:23

Kampala - Kenyan tribesmen killed four civilians during a cattle raid in northeastern Uganda during the weekend, said the Ugandan army on Monday.

Henry Obbo, army spokesperson in Uganda's Bukwa District, said the Pokot raiders from Kenya attacked a village in the region, but were forced to flee after the military engaged them.

Obbo said: "Late on Saturday, a group of about 150 warriors from the Pokot attacked Sundet village and killed four civilians", adding that the village was 50km from the Kenya-Ugandan border. He claimed as many as 50 attackers were killed.

He said: "We repulsed them, we followed them up using our MI-24 helicopters and killed several of them, probably 50", but there was no independent confirmation of the death toll.

Obbo said: "We are still pursuing them. They are still on our side of the border and are running all around in disarray.

"They are currently scattered. We have decided to deploy the infantry.... They either surrender or we shall kill them."

Cattle rustling between Kenyan and Ugandan border tribes had been a cultural practice for several years, but it became increasingly bloody after raiders started using firearms.

- AFP