Police say National Police Reservists repulsed militia from Ethiopia at Loyoro, no casualties on the Kenyan side
Tension is high along the Kenya-Ethiopia border in Turkana County after at least four members of the Dassanech militia from Ethiopia were killed in a gunfight with Kenya's National Police Reservists (NPR).
Police said the shootout happened on Sunday evening, September 27, 2026, at Loyoro in Kibish Sub-County, an area close to the border. Residents and security officers are now bracing for possible retaliation, and police have said the situation remains tense.
How the confrontation started
According to witnesses and police, the trouble began at about 6:30pm. The Dassanech militia allegedly crossed into the Kenyan side of the border with one main aim: to avenge the deaths of their people during a raid that was foiled a day earlier, on September 26.
Police said the group was spotted soon after entering the area. An alarm was raised, and members of the NPR, who are locals trained and armed to support the police in remote areas, were alerted and moved in quickly. The two sides then exchanged gunfire.
The fighting did not last forever. Police said the reservists eventually overpowered the militia members. They also destroyed shelters the attackers had been using among reeds on the water. The report suggests the militia had been hiding in these makeshift shelters before the confrontation.
Four Dassanech fighters were reported killed. Police said an unknown number of others were injured as they fled the scene, so the final number of casualties on the Ethiopian side may be higher than what has been confirmed so far. On the Kenyan side, police said on Tuesday that no injuries or deaths were reported in Turkana.
Police step up patrols
After the incident, police have intensified patrols in the area. Officials say more officers have been deployed to boost security for residents, and to stop the situation from getting worse.
Sources within the security team say the main worry is revenge. When lives are lost on either side of a border like this, communities often fear the other side will come back to settle the score. That is why the extra deployment was made quickly, even as officials continue to push for calm.
Local officials said they are now talking to their counterparts in Ethiopia to deal with the security concerns. Such cross-border engagements are important, since the people involved in these clashes move freely between the two countries, and the solution cannot come from one side alone.
A problem that has lasted for years
Cattle rustling has been reported as a persistent problem in this part of Turkana. Officials say groups from Ethiopia cross into Kenya looking for livestock. They also say groups from Kenya cross into Ethiopia for the same reason.
So it is a two-way problem, and it has continued for many years despite repeated efforts to end it. For communities that depend on livestock for food, income and social standing, cattle raids can quickly turn deadly, especially now that guns are involved.
Kibish and the surrounding areas are among those covered by a special government operation aimed at ending cattle rustling. The government says the menace has slowed down development in the affected areas. When people fear for their lives and their animals, schools, health services and businesses suffer.
What Operation Maliza Uhalifu covers
The area falls under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a government security initiative targeting banditry and other forms of violent crime in the northern and Rift Valley regions. Besides Turkana, the operation also covers Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu and Marsabit counties.
The government says its approach is not only about guns and boots on the ground. It says it combines security operations with long-term investments and sustainable development projects, meant to deal with the root causes of insecurity.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said before that the long-term goal is to empower communities so they can take part in fighting livestock theft. He said people should also be helped to pursue legitimate economic activities and take part in nation-building.
Police say the operation has already brought results. They say dozens of illegal firearms reportedly used in attacks have been recovered since it began. Removing illegal guns from the hands of raiders is seen as one of the most important steps in reducing deadly attacks, since a single automatic weapon can turn a small raid into a massacre.
Why residents remain worried
Even with the extra patrols, many residents in the border area are said to be uneasy. The Dassanech militia are said to have come to avenge their dead, and now that more of their fighters have been killed, the fear is that they may try again in the coming days.
Tension remained high after the shootout, with fears of revenge attacks in the coming days. For families living close to the border, this means sleepless nights, and for herders it means moving animals with great care, or keeping them away from areas seen as risky.
Security officers are expected to keep a strong presence in the area for now. Local leaders are also expected to continue talking with their Ethiopian counterparts, with the hope that dialogue can prevent another round of bloodshed.
The bigger picture
The Loyoro shootout is another reminder of how fragile security remains along the Kenya-Ethiopia border. The NPR, who live in these communities and know the terrain, are often the first to respond when raiders strike, which is why they were able to react so quickly on Sunday evening.
But many people say that security operations alone will not end the cycle. As long as raids on both sides are followed by revenge, the killing can continue. That is why the government's promise of combining security with development and community involvement will be closely watched, both by residents in Turkana and by leaders on the Ethiopian side.
For now, all eyes are on the border. Police say they will keep patrolling, and officials say they will keep talking. Whether these efforts will be enough to stop the feared revenge attacks is something only the coming days will show.
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