Kenyan police say clashes in north kill five

GARISSA, Kenya (Reuters) - Fighting between rival pastoralists has killed at least five people on Kenya's remote northern border with Ethiopia, Kenyan police said on Friday.

Marsabit District police chief Francis Sang said two other people were missing after clashes on Wednesday and Thursday.

"We have lost five Kenyans. Two are missing," he said by telephone, adding about 1,000 cattle had been stolen.

Locals on the border said some people were seeking refuge at police stations and that the bodies of three armed raiders had been seen. Sang said he could not confirm the additional deaths.

Kenya's lawless north is notorious for banditry and regular battles between pastoralists over scarce resources. Police and army numbers are inadequate to patrol the vast area.

(Reporting by Noor Ali; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Janet Lawrence)