Livestock raid leaves 54 dead in Kenya

At least 54 people were killed and an unknown number of livestock stolen or displaced after a raid on a village in Kenya's Turkana county, a humanitarian agency said on Wednesday.

Residents said the attack by Turkana raiders was in retaliation after Pokot rustlers attacked a village in Baringo and stole 100 goats.

The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said the retaliatory clashes at Nadome village have displaced about 350 families, who are currently camping at Nabokut and Nasoret areas, Xinhua reported.

"After a long trek to the scene, our team on the ground has reported 54 people dead."

Five critical cases have been evacuated to hospital," KRCS said on its Twitter handle.

Tension remains high in the area amid fears of retaliatory attacks.

Police, however, claim the clashes between Pokot and Turkana were incited by a local politician.

Clashes between rival cattle herding pastoralists in the region are common, with herders often carrying guns to protect their animals.

Livestock herding is the main livelihood and source of income in northern and some parts of western Kenya, and the rise in cattle thefts threatens to ignite cross-community reprisals and raids that could set the stage for a surge in ethnic strife.