PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti –A Kenyan police officer has died from gunshot wounds after a fierce confrontation with armed gangs in Haiti’s Artibonite region, marking the first casualty for Kenya’s contingent in the UN-backed security mission.
The officer, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was part of a security operation in Seguin, Pont-Sonde, aimed at dismantling criminal networks that have terrorized the area.
He sustained serious injuries during the clash and was airlifted to Aspen Level Two Hospital, where he later succumbed, according to a statement from Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) commander Godfrey Otunge.
“On February 23, 2025, one of our MSS officers from the Kenyan contingent was injured during an operation in Segur-Savien in the Artibonite department. The officer was immediately airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital but, unfortunately, succumbed to the injuries,” Otunge said.
Kenya deployed 800 police officers to Haiti last June as part of an international effort to restore stability in the crisis-hit Caribbean nation.
The mission, approved by the United Nations, is expected to include 2,500 personnel from multiple countries, including El Salvador, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Belize.
Kenyan forces have been conducting sustained operations in Artibonite over the past week, reportedly neutralizing several gangs.
Their presence was initially met with relief by local residents, who had urged authorities to extend security efforts to Seguin in Pont-Sonde, an area long plagued by gang violence.
“Hearing their pleas, the brave Kenyan police officers answered the call. This is the price our courageous officer paid—he was killed while fighting for the people of Haiti,” Otunge stated. “His fellow officers, unwilling to accept the loss, pursued the gang member responsible and immediately neutralized him.”
The slain officer’s death underscores the dangers faced by foreign security personnel deployed in Haiti, where criminal groups have seized control of large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding regions.
Despite recent gains by security forces, experts warn that without sustained presence and reinforcement, gangs could quickly reclaim lost territory.
The current deployment of nearly 900 officers and troops from Kenya and other contributing nations is seen as inadequate against the scale of the security crisis.
Meanwhile, the MSS has praised the swift response of El Salvador’s casualty evacuation team and medical personnel at Aspen Hospital, who made efforts to save the officer’s life.
