Baku-APA. The death toll from an attack on a village in eastern Kenya has risen to 15 after three more people succumbed to injuries, police confirmed on Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
Mwingi Divisional police commander Simon Birir said three others who had sustained slight injuries have been treated and discharged from the hospital following an attack early on Thursday that left six members of the same family killed in chaos over a land dispute in Kitui County.
Birir said 10 people had died on the spot while two others had been pronounced dead on arrival in the hospital while three others succumbed to injuries later after the attack by a gang at Nyanya location.
"We have intensified hunt for the these criminals who are well known by the locals. So far we have not arrested any suspect but the hunt is on as well as investigations have been launched," Birir told Xinhua by telephone on Friday.
He warned those behind the massacre on a village early Thursday over a piece of land that the arms of the law will catch up with them.
"We will not allow this to happen again. Yes, we know there has been a dispute over the piece of land but that does not give people leeway to hack others to death," Birir said.
Tension is high in the area with fears of more retaliation attacks, the first to be witnessed in the region which has enjoyed relative peace.
Eye witnesses said the assailants surrounded homes and later hacked to death the villagers. Among the dead was prominent businessman, his wife alongside his two domestic male workers.
The deceased two daughters are admitted the local hospital with severe cuts.
"The attackers surrounded homes and then ordered people to open theirs door while demanding money. I heard them demanding 1 million shillings (12,000 U.S. dollars), before long they broke the door. I then heard my parents screaming that they were being killed," said one of the horrified children.
Residents say three children were among those killed during the early Thursday attack that occurred in the wee hours in the village located in Endui location, Mwingi Central District.
The gang reportedly made up of five people descended on the village and proceeded to the homestead of a brother to one.
The gang is said to have attacked the family after their demands for 12,000 dollars was not met.
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