BARINGO, Kenya, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities on Thursday beefed up security in the volatile border region between Turkana and Baringo counties of northwest region to mount a crackdown on armed bandits blamed on the killing of three police officers on Tuesday.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambo said more police officers have been deployed in the area to help track down the bandits and secure local residents.
A team of police officers were headed back to a settlement called Lomelo from Kapedo where they delivered food rations to police camps when bandits sprayed their vehicle with bullets, killing the officers.
A group of officers sent for reinforcement and rescue their colleagues were also caught up in the ambush, which left 10 with injuries and one missing.
Those injured are recuperating at a health facility at Lomelo. Musiambo, who warned that the state will not allow armed militia to continue killing security officers and innocent civilians, directed tribal chiefs help secret agents in the area to arrest criminals keeping illegal firearms at their area of jurisdiction.
"We cannot allow bandits to take control of the region. We have dispatched more forces to restore security and pursue elements involved in highway ambushes," said the official.
The officials said officers from the quick response team and General Service Unit from Kapedo have been deployed to combat the bandits.
In October 2014, bandits attacked and set ablaze a police vehicle ferrying examination papers to Kapedo mixed secondary school. During the attack, three General Service Unit officers were killed.
