Two Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti as part of a peace-keeping mission have been seriously injured in clashes with gangs over the past week.
The officers, who are part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, were hurt during routine patrols in and around the capital Port-au-Prince, which is mostly controlled by heavily armed gangs.
The mission, which aims to restore enough security for Haiti to hold elections by February 2026, has faced numerous challenges, including morale issues and uncertainty about its possible expansion amid escalating gang violence.
The latest casualties bring the total number of Kenyan police officers injured or killed in Haiti to at least four, including one fatality in February and another officer reported missing last week, who is believed to be dead.
The injured officers were evacuated to the Dominican Republic for medical care, and an MSS delegation is set to travel to Washington this week to present concerns over the quality of protective gear to 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 cited humanitarian reasons for its intervention in Haiti, but analysts suggest the deployment is also motivated by a desire to boost the country’s international profile and win favor with the United States.
