At least 20 Haitian gang members sustained life-threatening injuries on Sunday and Monday during a joint security operation by the Haitian police and officers from the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
Kenya leads the Multinational Security Support, which is expected to consist of 2,900 personnel.
The operation took place in Torcel, a town located 14 kilometers from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, known as the stronghold of one of Haiti’s most notorious gangs, “Kraze Baryè.”
The operation aimed to track down armed gangs across the country and dismantle the Kraze Baryè group.
Officials reported that the second-in-command of Kraze Baryè, Deshomme, was severely injured during the clash.
Several items, including firearms, ammunition, mobile phones, communication equipment and other sensitive materials, were seized.
“Our brave police officers have successfully penetrated strategic areas used by criminals. The Haitian National Police (HNP) continues its operations in various parts of the country to track down armed gangs,” read part of the statement by the HNP.
However, despite the successful operation, an armored vehicle transporting Kenyan officers experienced engine failure and could not be restarted, even with on-site technical assistance.
The HNP remains committed to neutralizing gang leader Vitelhomme Innocent and his associates, according to the statement.
Additionally, a separate statement from the MSS team echoed similar sentiments:
“The MSS is sending a strong warning to key gang leaders to cease their barbaric acts of rape, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, and murder. We specifically call out the ‘Kraze Baryè’ gang, led by the most wanted criminal Vitelhomme Innocent, to stop committing atrocities against innocent Haitians who only wish for peace,” the statement read.
It continued,
“We urge all Haitians to unite and continue supporting the joint MSS/HNP operations that have already shown positive results.”
Officials noted that the operations and patrols resulted in the arrest of several gang members, while others escaped with severe injuries.
Additionally, a variety of weapons and communication equipment were seized. However, one of the armored personnel carriers developed an engine failure that couldn’t be fixed on-site.
These developments coincide with Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille‘s visit to Kenya. During his visit, Conille praised the Kenyan police for their significant efforts in restoring calm in Haiti.
At a joint press conference with President William Ruto at State House in Nairobi, both leaders called on the international community to increase support for peace efforts in Haiti.
“Kenya and Haiti stand united in urging the international community to urgently support this mission. The UN Security Council’s decision to extend the MSS mandate by another year shows strong global backing,” Ruto stated.
“However, words and promises must translate into action. We strongly urge our global partners to accelerate their contributions of personnel, logistics, and financial resources to sustain and expand this mission,” he added.
According to the United Nations, over 700,000 people in Haiti have been displaced, and more than five million—nearly half the population—are facing hunger.
Last month, the UN Security Council unanimously approved extending the MSS mandate for another year. However, a U.S. proposal to transform it into a UN peacekeeping mission was dropped due to opposition from Russia and China.
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