Inter-communal clashes in southeastern Kenya have killed at least 18 people in the past two weeks, police said Saturday, as security was boosted in the affected areas.

Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki on Friday declared 12 areas of Tana River County “dangerous and disturbed” due to the clashes, which have pitted communities of pastoralists against resettled flood victims.

Kenya’s national police chief Douglas Kanja ordered residents to surrender their firearms to prevent a further escalation of violence.

The fighting, whichh has been most severe in the town of Bura, began when the county government offered land to rehome people displaced by flooding on the banks of Tana River, the longest in Kenya.

Local pastoralists protested, arguing that those people being relocated would be occupying their grazing grounds.

“We have lost 18 people since last month and that is why security has been intensified to ensure no more deaths,” a senior police officer in Tana River County told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“But the situation is very tense now because people don’t want to surrender firearms.”

On Saturday, the Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin announced the arrest of two local leaders, Tana River County governor Dhadho Godhana and local lawmaker Said Hiribae, for failing to respond to police summonses over the unrest.

Several homes have been destroyed in the violence, and a number of people have fled.

“We no longer feel safe here because some attacks occur even during the day. The government should find a permanent solution to this crisis,” said Bura resident Mohamed Ibrahim.

Another local added: “It is all about land. The pastoralists don’t want these people who were moved here, and that is what sparked the clashes.” (AFP)