A second Kenyan police officer deployed as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti was killed during a violent clash with gang members.
The officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, was shot dead on Tuesday, March 25, in the Lower Artibonite region, approximately 92 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince.
The confrontation also saw three armored vehicles belonging to the peacekeeping force set ablaze by the assailants.
According to Kenyan Police Spokesperson in Haiti, Jack Ombaka, the attack occurred after the officers’ vehicles became stuck in a ditch suspected to have been intentionally dug by the gangs.
In response, two MSS Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles were sent from Pont-Sonde to assist. However, one of these also got stuck, while the other suffered mechanical failure.
As officers attempted to repair the stranded vehicles, gang members launched an ambush, leading to the officer’s death. The attackers took custody of the fallen officer’s body, and efforts are ongoing to recover it.
Specialised teams have been deployed to locate the remains and assess the situation.
This incident follows the February 24 killing of Police Constable Samuel Kitwai, 26, who was fatally shot during an anti-gang operation in Artibonite. Kitwai was the first Kenyan officer to die in the mission, passing away while receiving treatment in a Haitian hospital.
Kenya’s peacekeeping mission in Haiti has faced growing security challenges as gangs continue to resist government and international efforts to restore order in the Caribbean nation.
