The Kenya Defence Forces have joined a multi-agency team in patrols in parts of Tana River following the killing of nine people in interclan attacks.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said the team has stabilized tension that has been high in the area in the past days.
He said the first fatal shooting happened on October 4 in Anole and affected five people while two others were injured.
A retaliatory attack at Nanighi Village on the same day led to the death of four more people following the attack using crude weapons, while several houses (manyattas) were torched.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the dispute was caused by a disagreement between two communities over control of a watering point at Anole.
“Consequently, we have scaled up security operations in the area, with reinforcement teams from NPS and KDF, while the DCI has launched investigations to pursue the perpetrators of this heinous act,” he said.
Kanja said the situation was under control and appealed to the local communities to continue maintaining peace.
“Whereas the National Police Service in collaboration with other security agencies remain on high alert and are closely monitoring the situation in the Tana River County and other parts of the country, we wish to call upon all members of the public to partner with the Police, by reporting any criminal activities or suspects.”
Top security officials from the regional security command in Mombasa toured the area on Monday as part of efforts to contain more planned attacks.
The skirmishes that have escalated to several villages started last week have seen the warring communities use firearms, bows, and arrows with security officers struggling to contain them.
Tana River County Commissioner David Kosgei said Kenya Defence Forces and specialized units from the Administration Police have been deployed to pacify the area.
Tension remained high in parts of the county following the killing that has taken the death toll in the troubled parts of Tana River County to 12 in the last two weeks.
Many locals have been displaced in the conflict, police said adding the victims are sheltering in schools and other public amenities in the area.
Local leaders claim the conflict started when flood victims, mainly farmers, were moved from the banks of River Tana and settled along the Garissa-Hola road through clusters by the county government.
The pastoralists, who traditionally lived with their animals, had to reject plans to resettle farmers in the area by the county government, terming the move as a planned grabbing of their land.
The pastoralists claim ownership of land designed for resettlement by the river to the farmers displaced by the floods after River Tana burst its banks during the recent long rains.
The skirmishes escalated to the KBC area where the flood victims had settled recently and a village elder Daud Shora aged 58 was shot four times and died on the spot.
Residents are now demanding the arrest of individuals in possession of illegal firearms.
They also accused some politicians of being behind the killings by secretly inciting some communities against each other.
Last month, at least 3 people were shot dead by unknown assailants in an IDP camp in the area.
The clashes come a week after five political leaders from Tana River County were summoned to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission on October 8 over incitements linked to clashes between communities in neighbouring Tana River and Kitui counties.