Kenyan Police Officer Missing After Gang Ambush in Haiti

A Kenyan police officer has gone missing in Haiti after a gang ambush while assisting a stuck vehicle. This incident, which highlights ongoing violence, follows the fatal shooting of another Kenyan officer last month. Over 600 Kenyan officers are deployed to tackle gang activity in Haiti, where violence has resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement.

A Kenyan police officer, part of the international security force in Haiti, has gone missing following an ambush by suspected gang members. The officer disappeared while assisting a Haitian national police vehicle that became stuck in a ditch during a patrol operation in Pont-Sondé, as stated by the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti. Upon attempting to help, the rescue teams were ambushed by waiting gang members.

In response to the incident, specialized teams have been dispatched to search for the missing officer. Local media has speculated that the officer may have been killed, though this remains unconfirmed. This attack is part of a troubling trend; a month prior, a 26-year-old Kenyan police constable lost his life during an operation in Ségur-Savien, marking the first casualty of the Kenyan contingent in Haiti.

Kenya currently has around 600 police officers deployed as part of the MSS mission, initiated in June of last year, aimed at restoring order in Haiti amid rampant gang violence. Gangs have taken control of much of Port-au-Prince and various rural areas, leading to significant casualties, with over 5,500 lives lost in gang-related incidents within the year 2024, and more than a million people displaced from their homes.

The ongoing violence in Haiti highlights the risks faced by international security forces, particularly Kenyan police officers deployed to combat gang activities. With the recent disappearance of a Kenyan officer and the previous fatality, it underscores the precarious security situation in Haiti, where rampant gang violence has led to widespread devastation and displacement of citizens.

Original Source: www.bbc.co.uk