An 18-year-old herder was injured in a four-hour exchange of gunfire between herders and suspected armed bandits in the Dakaiye area, Loiyangalani Sub-County, Marsabit County.
The incident occurred on October 11, 2026, after a group of herders went in search of three camels that had strayed the previous day.
According to police, the herders had recovered six of the nine missing camels from the Kino area when they were ambushed by an unknown number of suspected armed bandits while searching for the remaining animals.
During the confrontation, the 18-year-old herder was reportedly shot in the left hip, with the bullet exiting through his genital area and right thigh.
He also sustained another gunshot wound on the left side of his rib cage, with the possibility that the bullet remained lodged in his body, according to the report.
The herders reportedly exchanged gunfire with the attackers for approximately four hours.
A security team later navigated the difficult terrain and rescued the injured herder, who was reported to be in stable condition.
He was taken to Loiy-Care Medical Clinic for first aid as arrangements were made to transfer him to Marsabit County Hospital for further treatment.
The area remained tense following the confrontation, according to the police report.
The incident comes amid persistent security challenges in parts of Marsabit County, where livestock theft and armed confrontations have contributed to tensions among pastoralist communities.
The area is among those covered by a special security operation aimed at addressing cattle rustling.
Elsewhere, a man was reportedly shot in the right knee after confronting a suspected herdsman over livestock grazing on cultivated farms in the Mworomatoo area, Mutuati Sub-County, Meru County.
The victim reportedly questioned the herdsman and asked him to remove the animals from the land before the shooting occurred.
Witnesses said the gunman was among herders driving livestock from a village when the man was shot in the knee.
Police said the suspected gunman fled the scene after the Sunday incident, but his identity and whereabouts were not immediately established.
Police said they were pursuing leads to identify the suspected gunman and establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The injured man was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Eastern regional police commander Stephen Chebet said.
