Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has said the government will carry out a major operation in Kamologon Forest to flush out bandits and armed criminals.
The area falls along the Elgeyo Marakwet-West Pokot county border, two of the six counties of the North Rift that were in March declared disturbed due to incessant banditry attacks.
The other counties gazetted as dangerous are Laikipia, Baringo, Samburu, and Turkana where government forces have been battling bandits and other armed criminals.
On Tuesday, Kindiki addressed a security baraza at Kalya Market along the Elgeyo Marakwet-West Pokot borderline to assess the security situation where he announced the operation at the Kamologon Forest.
"Bandits and armed criminals have for years terrorised residents and used the forest as their hideout. Any person found within the forest will be treated as a suspect of banditry," the CS said.
Criminals will be pursued individually and no community will be condemned or profiled by the national security agencies, Kindiki added.
He said to facilitate effective communication and prompt response by law enforcement agencies to insecurity and criminal activities, the government is constructing the Tangul-Kamologon- Keren Road, "Amani Road," which links Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties.
Area leaders including Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich and his West Pokot counterpart Simon Kachapin were present during the security baraza.
Kindiki commended the county bosses for spearheading peace-building efforts and investing in social economic programmes that will enhance harmonious coexistence between communities.