A second contingent of 200 Kenyan police officers departed Nairobi on Monday night, July 15, to assist in combating gang violence in Haiti.
The send-off was attended by the outgoing Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police and coordinator of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, Noor Gabow, alongside acting DIG James Kamau.
MSS, an international police force approved by the United Nations Security Council on October 2, 2023, aims to support the Haitian government in restoring law and order amid escalating civil strife and gang violence.
Gabow encouraged the officers to fulfill their mission with dedication, saying, “I know you are ready for the mission. Go and help the Haitians stand up and take off. They are good people.”
This team joins an advanced unit that arrived in Haiti on June 25 and has been conducting reconnaissance missions.
The Kenyan police will be responsible for securing hospitals, airports, ports, the presidential palace, and national highways. Their efforts have already yielded results, including assisting Haitian police in recapturing the national hospital from gang control.
Gang activities have caused widespread destruction, including looting, arson, and the seizure of medical institutions, police stations, and prisons. The violence has displaced nearly 580,000 people since March, according to a U.N. migration agency report.
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