Residents of Kamour village, Panyangara Sub County in Kotido district are in tears after 4 of their children between ages of 10 and 14 were killed during a gunfire exchange between the Uganda People Defense Forces-UPDF soldiers and cattle rustlers on Monday morning.
According to residents, the clash happened in Panyangara Sub County following an attack by Turkana cattle rustlers on a kraal protected by UPDF in Kamour village.
Joseph Balikudembe the 3rd Division Commander explains that UPDF managed to flash the cattle rustlers and recovered all the stolen livestock.
However, Esther Nakasi, the Deputy Criminal Investigations Officer Kotido Central Police Station, says four herds boys were killed in the gunfire.
According to Nakasi, three of them died on spot while the fourth breathed his last at Kamor Health Centre II where he had been rushed for medical attention.
Meanwhile, two other boys aged 12 years are also receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at Kotido Health Centre IV after being injured in the gun battle. Authorities have since handed over the deceased’s bodies to Kotido Health Centre IV for postmortem.
Also, Eight cows were killed in the botched raid.
Peter Logiro, the Kotido Resident District Commissioner, condemned the attacks that he believes were staged by suspected Turkana warriors.
