A Kenyan police officer assigned to Haiti to help tackle violent gangs was killed during an encounter with one of the gangs, as reported by Kenyan officials on Sunday.
The event took place in the Artibonite region, where Kenyan forces were actively involved in efforts to combat gang-related violence.
According to the Kenyan mission, the officers were responding to a call for help from the community in Pont-Sonde.
The officer was airlifted for medical care but unfortunately did not survive his injuries, as confirmed by Godfrey Otunge, the commander of the Kenyan contingent in Haiti.
Following the shooting incident, law enforcement officers actively pursued the attackers. Jack Ombaka, a representative of the mission, expressed his appreciation for the hospital staff and Salvadoran forces for their assistance following the event.
“This represents the ultimate sacrifice made by our courageous officer — he lost his life in the line of duty while protecting the citizens of Haiti,” Ombaka stated.
The Gran Grif gang is recognized for its dominance in the region.
This tragedy represents a significant setback in the ongoing efforts to combat gang violence in Haiti, which has escalated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Read more: Lomé Hosts the Inaugural “BTP Workshops.”
Kenya has sent hundreds of officers to bolster Haiti’s struggling law enforcement, with an additional 200 officers scheduled to arrive in February, joining over 600 already deployed as part of a multinational force that includes personnel from Jamaica, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
