A Kenyan police officer assigned to Haiti to help combat violent gangs was killed during an encounter with one of the gangs, as reported by Kenyan officials on Sunday.
The incident took place in the Artibonite region, where Kenyan forces were actively involved in operations aimed at curbing gang violence.
According to the Kenyan mission, the officers were responding to a call for help from residents in Pont-Sonde.
The officer was airlifted for medical care but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries, as confirmed by Godfrey Otunge, the commander of the Kenyan contingent in Haiti.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the officers pursued the attackers. Mission representative Jack Ombaka expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by hospital staff and Salvadoran forces following the incident.
“This is the sacrifice our courageous officer made — he gave his life while protecting the people of Haiti,” Ombaka stated.
The Gran Grif gang is known to have a strong presence in the area.
This tragedy represents a significant setback for efforts to manage Haiti’s gang crisis, which has escalated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Kenya has sent hundreds of officers to bolster Haiti’s struggling law enforcement, with an additional 200 officers arriving in February to join over 600 already deployed, as part of a multinational force that includes personnel from Jamaica, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
