Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has ordered the closure of the Dabel Artisanal mining sites within Golbo Division, Marsabit County.

This follows clashes between rival gangs of miners leading to 7 deaths.

In a Kenya Gazette notice published on Wednesday, Kindiki declared the areas as disturbed and dangerous, issuing vacation orders.

He stated that no person should be found in those areas without written authority from the Marsabit County Police Commander.

The orders shall remain in force at all times, but they may be terminated, withdrawn, varied, continued or otherwise altered as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration may direct.

This move by the government follows rampant acts of violence in the Dabel artisanal mining sites.

The area has been rife with armed criminals facilitating trade in narcotic drugs, where 7 people, including 2 aliens were killed this week in gang rivalries among the artisanal miners.

Cases of rape, defilement and gender-based violence have also been reported in the area.

A special team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has taken over Investigations to identify and apprehend the offenders.