Kenyan Police Massacre: Residents 'Flee Homes'

Hundreds of Kenyans have reportedly fled their homes after security forces vowed to track down a gang who massacred at least 32 police officers.

Cattle raiders armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades killed the officers in a military-style ambush in the remote Sugata valley, according to reports.

Officials blamed the killings on a group from the area's Turkana community who had stolen cattle from the Samburu tribe.

Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki said: "No part of this country can be a safe haven for bandits."

Residents and community leaders said people began fleeing when trucks carrying hundreds of troops and police officers arrived at the scene of the massacre.

More than 3,000 Turkanas have left so far, according to Samburu elder Fabian Leresh.

The head of Kenya's police force has called for more armoured vehicles and a tactical re-think in the wake of the deaths.

"The policing of 1930s cannot work today where you are dealing with people who are armed, equally armed as the police officers," Mathew Iteere said.

Regional security analyst and former Kenyan army officer Imaana Laibuta added: "The police were ill-prepared for this operation and lacked basic anti-ambush skills."