At least six police officers were on Wednesday shot dead by suspected Pokot bandits in Laikipia.
County commissioner Onesmus Mwaniki said the affected officers are based at Kamwenje patrol base in Laikipia West.
He said the officers were ambushed.
"The county commander is heading to the ground and will issue comprehensive statement."
The officers, police reports indicate, were ambushed in a convoy of two vehicles while heading towards Kamwenje.
They were on a familiarisation tour before the bandits, who were waiting at a sharp bend, attacked them.
Two officers who sustained serious injuries were airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment.
"The attackers robbed the officers of five G3 riffles, an AK-47 gun and one Jericho pistol.
Area OCPD and DCIO Nyahururu, OCS Ng'arua Police station and a contingent of officers visited the scene.
"The raiders had escaped towards the conservancy. The bodies were taken to Nyahururu mortuary."
Laikipia has been hit by a wave of violence in recent months as armed cattle-herders searching for dwindling grazing land have driven tens of thousands of cattle onto private farms and ranches. Over a dozen Kenyans have been killed in the violence.
In April, gunmen wounded an Italian-born conservationist at her conservation park in the area. Kuki Gallmann was shot in the stomach after the vehicle she was driving in was ambushed.
The previous month, Tristan Voorspuy, a British military veteran who ran a safari company, was shot dead at a private ranch in Laikipia after he went to inspect the remains of a friend's home that had been burnt down.
Many residents in the area accuse local politicians of inciting the violence ahead of general elections in August.
- The Star