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A Kenyan police officer deployed in Haiti as part of the international security force has gone missing following an attack by suspected gang members.
The officer was part of a team assisting the Haitian National Police in rescuing a vehicle that had become stuck in a ditch when armed gangs launched an ambush, the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti said in a statement.
“As the rescue teams attempted to resolve the situation, suspected gang members lying in wait launched an attack,” the mission stated.
Following the assault, specialised search teams were deployed to locate the missing officer. The attack took place on Tuesday during a patrol operation in the town of Pont-Sondé.
Haitian media outlets have reported that the officer may have been killed, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Growing Dangers for Kenyan Officers in Haiti
In a statement, the Kenya National Police Service confirmed it had been notified about the missing officer. Despite increasing calls from Kenyans for their forces to return home, Kenyan authorities reiterated their commitment to fulfilling their mission in Haiti.
This latest attack is not the first targeting Kenyan officers. Last month, 26-year-old Police Constable Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai became the first casualty among Kenya’s contingent after being fatally wounded in an operation in Ségur-Savien. His body was later flown home for burial.
Kenya has deployed at least 800 officers under the MSS mission, which was launched in June 2023 to help restore order in Haiti. The country has been overrun by gangs that now control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and many rural areas.
Haiti’s Spiraling Violence
Haiti remains in a state of crisis, with gang-related violence claiming over 5,500 lives in 2024 alone. More than a million people have been displaced as armed groups tighten their grip on the country.
With security forces facing escalating threats, the search for the missing Kenyan officer continues amid growing concerns over the safety of the international mission in Haiti.
