At least nine people were killed and some others injured when rival militias clashed Thursday at a village in Moyale in northern Kenya, according to witnesses.

Residents said armed bandits from Borana communities engaged Gabra militias for more than five hours at Qate, 60 km away from Moyale town.

Gabra militia raided Qate village in the morning attack that saw Borana militias engage them for hours.

Marsabit County Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru confirmed the incident, saying heavy fighting went on for hours between the rival militias in a raid.

He said the militia were using sophisticated weapons including machine guns, hand grenades and mortars.

"We cannot establish the number of those killed in the raid because the militias clashed in the forest while others fled with the bodies," Nakoru said. But eye witnesses said 9 died from the clashes.

Nakoru said sources from the ground indicated that nine people were killed but the police could not confirm the exact number as militia fled with the bodies and those injured in the attack.

Tension remains high in Marsabit County with both communities fleeing their home for fear of revenge attacks. The county commissioner said hundreds of the officers were deployed to the areas to contain the situation.

He said the security arm of the government have launched investigation into spate of insecurity in the areas with a view to arrest the situation.

Nakoru said several people have been killed in the last one year in the region following ethnic conflict between Borana, Gabra and Rendile communities.

Moyale district in Kenya's northern border with Ethiopia has been the scene of recent tribal clashes involving mainly Borana and Gabra communities of Kenya.

Moyale, a town which is less than a kilometer from neighboring Ethiopia, witnessed deadly clashes late August 2013 between Borana and the arch-rival Gabra community.

Moyale town has been experiencing one of the worst continued inter-clan feuds.

Meanwhile, three people were killed and three riffles recovered at Sabarwawa in Isiolo when armed Rendile bandits attacked a village in Gotu Isiolo County on Thursday.

Armed bandits stole two hundred and 50 goats when Kenya police reservists and conservancy rangers in hot pursuit repulsed them and gunned down three of them.

Isiolo police commander, Daniel Kamanza said the bandits attacked a village in an early morning raid that saw three people killed and one person injured.

He said the conservancy rangers managed to recover two M16 riffles and a carbine from the bandits after fierce fire exchange that last for hours.