Kenyan Officer Dies in Haiti Amid International Anti-Gang Operation

A Kenyan police officer was fatally injured during an operation aimed at restoring order in Haiti, marking the first death among the contingent sent to address gang violence.

In a tragic incident on Sunday, a Kenyan police officer was fatally injured in Haiti while participating in an international effort to combat gang violence, marking a significant development in the ongoing security crisis in the Caribbean nation. This death is reported to be the first among the Kenyan forces operating under the Multinational Security Support Mission, which has been active in Haiti since June 2024.

According to an official statement from the Multinational Security Support Mission, the officer, who has not been identified, suffered injuries during an operation in the Artibonite region, located north of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Despite being airlifted to a hospital for urgent care, the officer succumbed to their injuries later that day.

Since June 2024, hundreds of Kenyan police officers have been deployed to Haiti as part of a U.S.-backed initiative aimed at restoring stability amidst escalating gang violence. The prime minister of Haiti has issued repeated calls for international armed intervention to address the chaos that has gripped the country, as organized gangs have come to dominate great swaths of the capital.

The Multinational Security Support Mission includes not only Kenyan officers but also personnel from Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Collectively, these forces are tasked with regaining control of Port-au-Prince from the well-armed gangs that have taken root in the area.

As this situation continues to unfold, updates will provide further insight into the international community's response and the consequences for security in Haiti.