Tana River, Kenya - Forty people were killed on Thursday in clashes over land and water between two ethnic groups in southeast Kenya, police said Friday.
Thursday was the deadliest day yet in a prolonged, sporadically violent feud over land and river access between the Orma, who are herders and pastoralists, and the Pokoma, who tend to be settled agricultural farmers.
The latest violence brought to 131 the number of people killed in fighting between the two groups this year. Since last week, about 60 people have been killed, police said.
More armed security forces were deployed to the Tano River area on Friday.
"We have tried our best... but it seems we can't stop the clashes as yet", the area's police commander Peter Muthike told reporters.
Commissioner of Coast Province Samuel Limo travelled to the affected area on Friday with a team of high-ranking security officials.
"It is a mess that has to be cleaned up sooner than later," said Muthike.
He said Thursday's deaths occured during three different raids on various locations.
"The first raid at Chewani, Milalalu, Mwanza and Ng'ombeni villages left nineteen people dead", he said.
Twenty other people were killed in the second raid, among them 18 members of the pastoralist Wardei community and two Pokomos.
Police said scores more were hurt in the incident.
An elderly man was shot dead and his twenty-year old son seriously injured when Orma gunmen stormed the deserted Galole village where the pair were guarding half-burnt homes.
"The old man was shot at point-blank range," said Muthike. "The son, who survived, is nursing his wounds at the Hola district hospital, 20 kilometres away."
Kenya Red Cross officials were distributing foodstuffs and other relief in three so-called "safety areas,", local church compounds in Galole, Garsen and Hola trading centres.
Victims fleeing from earlier fighting in the area and camping in the compounds were already overwhelming aid workers before Thursday's killings, said a Red Cross official.
"We are sending a passionate appeal to all well-wishers to come forward to donate more supplies. They need food, blankets and other basic artefacts", he said.
Police gave a breakdown of those killed since last week's renewed tribal clashes as more than sixty. - Sapa-AFP