Marsabit — At least three people among them two children were killed early today when unknown number of armed suspected livestock thieves staged an attack at Korolle grazing area, Kargi location of Marsabit County.

Area chief Mohammud Arballe said the rustlers who stole about 1000 sheep and goats in the dawn attack also left one person with serious gunshot wounds.

Arballe told KNA on telephone that those killed included two boys aged eight and seven years and a 35-year-old herdsman.

Loyiangalani Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Mavina said investigations into the incident had started in earnest with a view to arresting the culprits and recovering the stolen animals.

The raiders are suspected to have come from neighbouring Marsabit North sub-county with preliminary investigations pointing at raiding for livestock for sale.

Reports have it that the stolen livestock were driven away for about two kilometers before being loaded into two lorries to an unknown destination.

The 2am raid has brought forth concerns about presence of illegal firearms in wrong hands and the government's resolve to mop them up to end banditry in the country. - Kna