At least 38 people have been killed in attacks believed to have been carried out by Ethiopian and Sudanese raiders along the common border, Kenyan police said in Nairobi Thursday.

Police spokesman Jaspher Ombati said the dead included eight Kenyans and 30 raiders believed to be tribesmen from Dongiro in Ethiopia and Toposa in Sudan.

Ombati said about 100 raiders attacked members of Kenya's Turkana tribe in the remote village of Soyea in the first attack on Saturday, killing one person and stealing more than 200 livestock.

"When the raiders returned on Sunday, Turkana herdsmen resisted killing 30 of them, and losing seven of their own in the ensuing fighting. The bandits, however, still managed to drive away more than 300 livestock," he said.

"Security officers from both sides involved are currently pursuing the matter with a view of reaching peaceful settlement," he added.

Local officials said about 250 people have been displaced in the raid and are now on the verge of starvation after losing their livestock.

Northern Kenya border areas continue to be plagued by cross-border inter-clan and intra-clan clashes.

Cattle rustling, counter-raids, ethnic conflict, tribal or clan rivalry, and armed banditry are common in the area which is currently experiencing severe drought.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2006)