Following the tragic killing of Kenyan police officer Benedict Kabiru in Haiti, the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission has announced a shift in their approach to dealing with the powerful gangs operating in the Caribbean country.
Speaking to Haiti’s top media outlet, Le Nouvelliste, on Wednesday, April 16, MSS mission spokesperson Jack Ombaka revealed that a fresh strategy is now being rolled out.
This new plan focuses on launching surprise ambushes specifically targeting key gang leaders, rather than broad operations.
Ombaka explained that Kenyan officers have recently been conducting high-impact operations designed to disrupt and dismantle gang activities.
According to him, these rapid and well-planned missions have already led to a noticeable reduction in gang-related violence across the country.
“We are now in the phase of decisive actions. Our strategy is to remain silent and act with strength. In the past week alone, we have carried out several surprise operations,” Ombaka told the Haitian newspaper. “That’s why gang leaders are no longer roaming openly like before. We are committed to capturing at least three of them—whether they are alive or not,” he emphasized.
He also disclosed that during one of the most recent missions, MSS peacekeepers almost captured a feared gang leader known as Izo, who managed to escape at the last moment.
Ombaka noted that the focus now is on taking action more than making announcements, pointing out that these tactical raids will continue until the gangs either surrender or are defeated.
“The same efforts are ongoing in Artibonite, and we are zeroing in on the specific gang leader there,” he added. “These gangs have suffered serious losses over the past week, although we are not ready to reveal the exact numbers just yet.”
Ombaka’s remarks follow the heartbreaking death of Officer Benedict Kabiru, who was gunned down on Monday, March 24, 2025, in the Savien region while carrying out an anti-gang mission. Shockingly, after killing him, the gang members made off with his body.
This act prompted MSS commanders to deploy elite units to track down and recover the fallen officer’s body, which is still believed to be in the hands of the gang members.
In the wake of Kabiru’s death, there has been growing criticism and concern over what many see as a slow or cautious response from Kenyan peacekeepers, especially with the rise in gang control in several areas.
Reports indicate that Haitian towns such as Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau have now fallen under the control of criminal gangs, with no visible presence of the Kenyan security forces in those regions.
This has sparked questions about the effectiveness and visibility of the MSS mission at a time when many Haitians are desperate for security and protection from the growing violence.
Despite the criticism, the Kenyan-led team insists they remain fully committed to restoring peace and security in Haiti and that their new strategy will deliver more results in the coming days.
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