Tension is high at Merti along the Samburu-Baringo border in Kenya Rift Valley, after 10 people were on Wednesday night killed in a cattle raid. More than 800 animals were also stolen.

Scores of other residents were left nursing serious gunshot injuries, according to relatives and police officers.

“The attack is believed to be a retaliatory attack and was executed by bandits from a neighbouring community,” said a police officer who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the police service.

However, County Police Commander Alfred Ageng’o declined to comment on the deaths when contacted, only confirming that more than four people had been seriously injured in the attack.

“I cannot confirm those killed for now but more than four people were seriously injured and are recuperating at the Samburu County Referral Hospital,” said Mr Ageng’o.

Most of those injured were women and children.

The bandits are said to have executed simultaneous attacks before they fled with hundreds of cattle.

Police have since launched an operation to recover the stolen animals.

So far 24 people have been killed in Samburu and Isiolo Counties in the past one week in conflicts linked to grazing land and cattle raids.

This latest incident comes hardly two days after 10 herders were killed in a pasture row between two pastoralist communities at Kom, Isiolo County.

READ:10 killed in Kenya herders' clash

According to the police, the more than 100 armed bandits arrived in motorbikes and attacked Samburu herders over grazing land in the area.

Bloody conflicts have erupted in Isiolo and Samburu counties following movement of herders from neighbouring counties.