Two Kenyan police officers in Haiti have sustained serious injuries in clashes with gangs over the past week, according to three officers. This incident adds to the mission's growing list of casualties as it faces increasingly frequent attacks.
Kenyan officers were deployed to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission last June, which currently comprises around 1,000 security personnel, about three-quarters of whom are from Kenya. The mission aims to restore sufficient security in Haiti to facilitate elections by February 2026, but it has encountered challenges from the outset, particularly amid escalating gang violence.
The MSS recorded its first fatality in February, and another Kenyan officer was reported to have been killed last week. The three anonymous officers indicated that he is believed to be dead.
The injuries occurred during routine patrols in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince, which is primarily controlled by heavily armed gangs responsible for thousands of deaths since 2021. MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka confirmed that the two injured officers were evacuated to the Dominican Republic for medical attention, acknowledging that casualties are sometimes unavoidable in such missions.
The officers reported that gang attacks have become increasingly frequent and expressed concerns over inadequate equipment. One officer suffered a head injury when a bullet penetrated his helmet, while the other was injured in the ear by gunfire that breached the walls of an armored vehicle.
Twenty armored vehicles have been grounded since the weekend after officers refused to use them, citing that this was the second incident of a vehicle failing to stop a bullet. An MSS delegation is scheduled to visit Washington this week to raise concerns about the quality of protective gear with U.S. officials.
The United States has provided most of the funding and equipment for the mission, which has struggled to secure significant contributions from other countries.
Kenya's government has stated humanitarian reasons for its intervention in Haiti, but analysts suggest the deployment also aims to enhance the country's international standing and strengthen ties with the United States. In response to equipment concerns, Ombaka stated that the MSS continues to receive enhanced logistical support from partners and stakeholders, with assurances that all equipment meets international standards. The U.S. State Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.