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Photos: A rush to arms against cattle raiders in northern Kenya

The Ilemi Triangle, a disputed sliver of land along the border with Ethiopia and South Sudan, is the northernmost tip of Turkana, Kenya's poorest county. A series of deadly clashes between the Turkana community and other ethnic groups that they said had crossed from South Sudan have put people on edge, to the point of posting lookouts. As in many regions across Africa, farmers and nomads frequently clash over limited resources, be it land, cattle or water. Cows and bulls are the most important currency here, not cash.

Updated on: Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM IST

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1/11

A Turkana tribeswoman reacts after an accidental fire at a shelter in Turkana settlement in Ilemi Triangle, Kenya. First, the scouts saw a footprint, then a suspected spy from a rival ethnic group, scuttling off into the bush. Expecting an attack, young men grabbed their guns and mothers grabbed their children - there are few state security forces in this remote area of northern Kenya. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

A Turkana tribeswoman reacts after an accidental fire at a shelter in Turkana settlement in Ilemi Triangle, Kenya. First, the scouts saw a footprint, then a suspected spy from a rival ethnic group, scuttling off into the bush. Expecting an attack, young men grabbed their guns and mothers grabbed their children - there are few state security forces in this remote area of northern Kenya. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

2/11

Turkana warriors react after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are around their settlement. When danger looms, locals say the police are usually far away and neighbours are the only ones they can turn to. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

Turkana warriors react after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are around their settlement. When danger looms, locals say the police are usually far away and neighbours are the only ones they can turn to. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

3/11

A Turkana warrior passes by a skull of a Nyangatom warrior who, according to Turkana warriors, was killed during an attack on Turkana people to take their cattle. Reuters photographer Goran Tomasevic saw seven or eight places scattered with skulls or bones with shredded clothing during the three weeks he spent in the region. There are a lot of wild animals so bodies left outside don’t stay intact for long. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

A Turkana warrior passes by a skull of a Nyangatom warrior who, according to Turkana warriors, was killed during an attack on Turkana people to take their cattle. Reuters photographer Goran Tomasevic saw seven or eight places scattered with skulls or bones with shredded clothing during the three weeks he spent in the region. There are a lot of wild animals so bodies left outside don’t stay intact for long. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

4/11

Kenya has found oil in Turkana, but while politicians in the capital Nairobi haggle over who gets the revenue, the discovery has had little effect on the county so far. Where he visited, families drink from the same muddy pools as their livestock. There are few schools - children instead help herd the precious cows to nearby watering holes. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

Kenya has found oil in Turkana, but while politicians in the capital Nairobi haggle over who gets the revenue, the discovery has had little effect on the county so far. Where he visited, families drink from the same muddy pools as their livestock. There are few schools - children instead help herd the precious cows to nearby watering holes. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

5/11

(L) A Turkana warrior prays to gods after a cleansing ceremony as they found footprints of Nyangatom warriors around their settlement. (R) Turkana Chief Eipa Choro raises his hand as he prays to gods. Chief Eipa Choro, 74, said the community felt abandoned by the government; clean water from an aid group’s borehole was two hours’ drive away. The nearest police station was several hours away over dusty tracks. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

(L) A Turkana warrior prays to gods after a cleansing ceremony as they found footprints of Nyangatom warriors around their settlement. (R) Turkana Chief Eipa Choro raises his hand as he prays to gods. Chief Eipa Choro, 74, said the community felt abandoned by the government; clean water from an aid group’s borehole was two hours’ drive away. The nearest police station was several hours away over dusty tracks. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

6/11

Turkana warriors react after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are around their settlement in Ilemi Triangle. Nairobi says the county government is responsible for providing many important frontline services like health, early education and roads. The county government says Nairobi doesn’t give it enough money to do so. While they argue, people suffer. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

Turkana warriors react after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are around their settlement in Ilemi Triangle. Nairobi says the county government is responsible for providing many important frontline services like health, early education and roads. The county government says Nairobi doesn’t give it enough money to do so. While they argue, people suffer. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

7/11

When it looked like an attack was imminent, some of the young men he witnessed seemed more excited than dismayed by the prospect of a clash with those they feared were after their livestock. As part of their preparations, they slaughtered a bull then plunged their hands into its stomach to draw out the half-digested grass. They rubbed this over their heads and chests, part of their preparations to fight. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

When it looked like an attack was imminent, some of the young men he witnessed seemed more excited than dismayed by the prospect of a clash with those they feared were after their livestock. As part of their preparations, they slaughtered a bull then plunged their hands into its stomach to draw out the half-digested grass. They rubbed this over their heads and chests, part of their preparations to fight. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

8/11

The group weren’t attacked during the time Tomasevic spent with them, but each time they moved, the community sent out scouts to secure the way and try to spot potential ambushes from cattle raiders. One of the most dangerous times was when they took the cows up to a watering hole right next to the border with Ethiopia. Cattle raiding parties sometimes attack and drive the herd deep into foreign territory. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

The group weren’t attacked during the time Tomasevic spent with them, but each time they moved, the community sent out scouts to secure the way and try to spot potential ambushes from cattle raiders. One of the most dangerous times was when they took the cows up to a watering hole right next to the border with Ethiopia. Cattle raiding parties sometimes attack and drive the herd deep into foreign territory. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

9/11

Elderly men talk at a settlement in Ilemi Triangle. One day a shaman came to read the entrails of a goat. He predicted rain and fighting. The rain came, but no fighting. Instead, news trickled in over scratchy phone lines that the group the men thought were targeting them had attacked another community nearby, carrying off around 600 animals. Reuters could not independently verify the incident. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

Elderly men talk at a settlement in Ilemi Triangle. One day a shaman came to read the entrails of a goat. He predicted rain and fighting. The rain came, but no fighting. Instead, news trickled in over scratchy phone lines that the group the men thought were targeting them had attacked another community nearby, carrying off around 600 animals. Reuters could not independently verify the incident. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

10/11

A Turkana warrior holds a gun as he protects cattle. Such raids can be a disaster for a community. There’s little money here. All serious transactions are done with livestock. Warrior Matthew Logel Matteze told Tomasevic he had to pay his wife’s family 16 cows and 60 goats to marry her. Kenya and South Sudan have set up a joint commission to try to agree on the disputed border. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

A Turkana warrior holds a gun as he protects cattle. Such raids can be a disaster for a community. There’s little money here. All serious transactions are done with livestock. Warrior Matthew Logel Matteze told Tomasevic he had to pay his wife’s family 16 cows and 60 goats to marry her. Kenya and South Sudan have set up a joint commission to try to agree on the disputed border. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

11/11

Turkana warriors after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are nearby. Mawien Makol, a spokesman for South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said the work might be finished by the end of the year. Irene Akao Agum, a spokeswoman for Kenya’s Attorney General’s Office, said authorities were trying to gather information from both communities. The Turkana want to stay in Kenya, but these days in the Ilemi Triangle, there is little peace. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

Updated on Sep 16, 2019 2:09 PM

Turkana warriors after finding out that Nyangatom warriors are nearby. Mawien Makol, a spokesman for South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said the work might be finished by the end of the year. Irene Akao Agum, a spokeswoman for Kenya’s Attorney General’s Office, said authorities were trying to gather information from both communities. The Turkana want to stay in Kenya, but these days in the Ilemi Triangle, there is little peace. (Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS)

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