Campsite raided in Masai Mara conservation area

(eTN) – Reports are being received from Nairobi that shortly after 8:00 pm on Monday night, a group of armed raiders, thought to have crossed the border from Tanzania into neighboring Kenya, attacked a private tented camp put up for the night by long term Kenya residents on a local vacation. After first firing a salvo of shots into the camp, a previously never-experienced method of robbery, they then raided the campsite and made away with valuables.

The campsite, normally used by and popular with East African residents and Kenyan campers, is reportedly located on one of the conservancies in the Mara Triangle, below the Ololoolo escarpment and near the common border.

According to reliable sources, two of the campers suffered gun-shot wounds while one of the group was fatally wounded and succumbed not long afterwards to his injuries. According to a very reliable source in Nairobi, this person in fact celebrated his 60th birthday that day. An aircraft of the Flying Doctor services has since then collected the injured and brought them to a leading Nairobi hospital for treatment where they are said to be in serious but stable condition.

A combined team of Kenya Wildlife Services rangers and other security personnel stationed in the wider area was deployed just as soon as the information reached them, and this being a full moon night bringing enough light to the area, they immediately began tracking the criminals who reportedly fled in the direction of the border with Tanzania. Additional security teams were airlifted into the Masai Mara or dispatched from their observation points to join in the hunt for the gang, and it is understood that Tanzanian authorities also dispatched rangers and security forces to the area close to the incident on the Tanzanian side to also join in the search, hand in hand with their Kenyan counterparts.

This is a first of its kind of such a brutal attack, never seen before. When caught, the culprits will be facing the death penalty when convicted. It is presently of no consolation to this correspondent that no foreign tourists were involved in the incident. The tragic loss of life and the injuries to the survivors are harrowing and shocking as it is, and being East African residents does not make this any less serious than had it been foreign tourists.

The eTN East Africa team expresses their sorrow and sympathy and extends heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those affected by this senseless act of violence.