Nairobi, Nov 1 (IANS): At least seven police officers have been killed and several others missing in fresh attacks in Turkana county, northwest Kenya, authorities said Saturday.

A local police commander said the attack, which took place Friday night in Kapedo, has left seven police officers dead and some 20 police reservists missing.

"The renewed attacks took place Friday night. A police helicopter has been dispatched to the area to help crack down on the raiders," the police commander who told Xinhua.

Reports say that several police officers and reservists have been missing since Saturday morning after a lorry ferrying a contingent of police officers was attacked Friday night.

On Oct 22, armed bandits attacked two vehicles belonging to the paramilitary police and killed five people, including three policemen, and also took away their firearms in Kapedo.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro led a high-powered team to the area last week, vowing to hunt down those who engineered the attacks.

The team held an emergency meeting with local security personnel and local leaders that resolved to have them work together to ensure that those behind the attack were apprehended.

Tension, however, remains high in the area amid fears of retaliatory attacks. Security officers have also mounted a security operation to flush out bandits who terrorised residents for long.