Nairobi (Diplomat.so) – Kenyan security agencies have launched a multi-agency investigation after six men from neighboring Garissa County were killed in suspected inter-clan violence in Biyagadud village, Bangale Subcounty, Tana River County, with authorities confirming investigations remain underway following the attack reported at approximately 6:46 p.m. on Sunday, June 21.
According to police, local residents discovered the victims' bodies in a remote area before alerting authorities. Preliminary investigations indicate that a camel herder raised the alarm after hearing gunfire while travelling to a nearby watering point. The herder reportedly saw armed individuals at the scene before fleeing to safety and informing village elders.
Village elders who responded found the bodies and notified security officials. Police officers later secured the area, documented evidence, and launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killings.
The deceased were identified as Abdi Kullow, 33, Osman Abdi Ibrahim, 35, Mohamed Adow, 25, Siyat Jele, 40, Sahal Hile, 28, and a sixth victim whose identity was confirmed by local community leaders.
Local sources said all six men were from Garissa County and that the killings were linked to an inter-clan conflict involving members of rival ethnic Somali clans residing in the area.
Police said arrangements had initially been made to transfer the bodies to Garissa Level 5 Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examinations. Those plans were later abandoned after relatives and local residents chose to bury the victims immediately in accordance with Islamic traditions.
A senior elder representing Somalis in Bangale Subcounty called on rival groups to maintain peace and avoid retaliatory attacks following the incident. Speaking to Diplomat News Network, the elder said local leaders were working alongside the Kenyan government to facilitate dialogue and reconciliation between the affected communities, adding that efforts to de-escalate tensions were continuing.
Residents said security patrols were increased across parts of Bangale following the incident. Although the area remained tense, daily pastoral activities gradually resumed under heightened security, with local administrators urging residents to cooperate with investigators by providing any information that could assist the inquiry.
Police said no arrests have been made and that investigators are pursuing several leads to identify those responsible. Security agencies also appealed for calm, assuring residents that additional measures had been deployed to prevent further violence and maintain public safety.
Bangale, a predominantly pastoralist subcounty in Tana River County near the Garissa border, has periodically experienced clashes driven by disputes over grazing land, water resources, and longstanding clan rivalries.
The latest killings come amid a wider resurgence of inter-clan violence involving ethnic Somalis across the Horn of Africa during June, particularly in Kenya’s Garissa and Tana River counties, Somalia’s Hiiraan and Sool regions, and Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State’s Dollo Zone.
The renewed pattern of violence has raised concerns among regional leaders and security officials, who warn that localized clan conflicts continue to threaten community livelihoods, cross-border stability, and broader regional security.
