A Kenyan police officer deployed in Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission has gone missing after an ambush by suspected gang members during a patrol operation in the town of Pont-Sondé on Tuesday.
According to an MSS statement, the attack occurred when officers were assisting a Haitian National Police vehicle that had become stuck in a ditch. “As the rescue teams attempted to resolve the situation, suspected gang members lying in wait launched an attack,” the mission reported.
Following the incident, specialized teams were deployed to search for the missing officer, but no confirmation has been made regarding his whereabouts. Haitian media outlets have speculated that the officer may have been killed by the gangs, but official sources have not yet verified this claim.
The Kenya National Police Service acknowledged the situation, stating that it has been informed about the missing officer. Despite ongoing security threats and calls from some Kenyans for the force to withdraw, the police service reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling its mandate in Haiti.
This is not the first time Kenyan officers have been targeted in the Caribbean nation. Last month, 26-year-old Police Constable Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai was fatally wounded during an operation in Ségur-Savien, marking the first casualty among the Kenyan contingent. His body was flown back to Kenya, where he was laid to rest earlier this month.
Kenya has deployed at least 800 police officers to Haiti under the MSS mission, which was launched in June 2023 to help restore order in the gang-ravaged country. Haiti’s security situation has deteriorated drastically, with gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and expanding their influence into rural areas.
According to the United Nations, over 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence in Haiti in 2024, and more than a million have been displaced. The Kenyan-led MSS force remains a key part of international efforts to stabilize the country amid the escalating crisis.
