Kenyan police, part of a UN-backed multinational force, sing and dance on the tarmac after landing at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. An additional 200 Kenyan officers arrived for a U.N.-supported mission led by their country to combat the violent gangs that have seized control of parts of the Caribbean nation. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
July 16, 2024 Story by: Editor
PORT-AU-PRINCE — A second group of 200 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti on Tuesday, joining a U.N.-supported mission led by Kenya to combat the violent gangs that plague the Caribbean nation.
This new contingent follows the arrival of the first group of 200 officers nearly a month ago in Port-au-Prince, where gangs control an estimated 80% of the area.
Due to security concerns, authorities have not disclosed specific details about the Kenyans’ assignments. However, AP journalists have observed them patrolling near the main international airport, which reopened in late May after gang violence forced its closure for nearly three months.
More Kenyan officers are anticipated to arrive in the upcoming weeks and months. They will be joined by police and soldiers from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Jamaica, totaling 2,500 personnel. The deployment will occur in phases and cost approximately $600 million annually, as reported by the U.N. Security Council.
The reception of the Kenyan officers by Haitians has been mixed. While some have welcomed their presence, others remain cautious due to the history of abuse allegations, including extrajudicial killings, faced by Kenyan police in their own country. Source: VOA
