Bandits ambush KDF soldiers, kill 2, injure 7 in Laikipia

Bandits in the highly volatile Laikipia area have ambushed Kenya Defence forces (KDF) soldiers, and killed two policemen and injured seven more in a deadly shoutout at the Kamwenje area, Laikipia West.

It is reported the military personnel were digging a trench along the Laikipia Nature Conservancy (LNC) to derail bandits from traversing the region and haunting neighbouring villages.

This brings the number of security officers shot dead on Wednesday to 4 and 20 officers in the past few months.

However, the National Police Service said the situation is under control as the area remains an active multi-agency operation zone and urged area residents to remain calm.

"We have reinforcements on the ground pursuing the attacker and the conservancy remains an active multi-agency operation zone, we urge the public to remain calm," the National Police Service (NPS) said.

The incident comes barely two weeks after three other security officers were attacked and killed by bandits at the conservancy.

The government was forced to deploy dozens of security forces to the volatile conservancy as they sought to flush out the bandits.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i initiated the move to have the officers deployed in the area to heighten the security.

However, despite the heavy presence of the officers, banditry attacks continue to be on the rise as insecurity worsens in Laikipia West.