NAIROBI, Kenya — A Kenyan official says 12 police officers were killed when they were ambushed while pursuing men who had stolen cattle.
Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said Sunday the 12 were killed early Saturday morning in northwestern Kenya.
He said nine other officers were wounded in the attack and have been flown to Nairobi for treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Kiraithe said that hundreds of cattle were stolen from the Samburu community by raiders suspected to be from Turkana. He said police officers and reserves pursued the raiders when they were caught in the trap.
Cattle raiding is an ongoing source of friction between communities in northwestern Kenya.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.