Kenyas military has been ordered to deploy to the north-western Samburu region following a deadly ambush on police officers by cattle rustlers.At least 42 police officers were killed - the most deadly attack on police in the East African nations history.The army will help track down the bandits and recover stolen animals and arms, a presidential statement said.Hundreds of people have been fleeing the remote area fearing revenge attacks, officials and residents say.A large police team, which included the regular police, reservists and paramilitary officers, was attacked over the weekend near the town of Baragoi in Samburu Countys Suguta valley as they attempted to recover stolen cattle.The attackers used sophisticated weapons such as anti-personnel bombs and rocket-propelled grenades, one local official said.Kenyas National Security Council, which was chaired by President Mwai Kibaki, ordered the armys deployment and condemned the heinous act of killing law enforcement officers.Everything will be done to ensure the culprits are apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law, the statement from the presidents office said.The council also said it wanted peace, reconciliation and disarmament exercises to be carried out in the affected areas. Suguta is a remote valley where people from the Samburu and Turkana communities live in separate villages. They often steal cattle from each other, and clash over grazing rights and access to water points.On Monday, a religious leader, who did not want to be named, told the BBC that residents in the area feared they may feel the wrath of the security forces, as those behind the killings had disappeared. Agencies
