A Kenyan police officer serving with the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti is reported to have been injured on Tuesday while conducting a security operation in Kenscoff’s Belot area.
MSS Spokesperson Jack Ombaka confirmed that the officer was swiftly evacuated to ASPEN Level 2 Hospital, where he is receiving medical attention and is in stable condition.
"Today, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, a member of the MSS Kenyan contingent was injured while conducting a security operation in Kenscoff, within the Belot area. The officer was promptly evacuated to ASPEN Level 2 Hospital, where he is receiving medical attention and is in stable condition,” he said.
Ombaka expressed gratitude to the Haitian people and others who supported the injured officer’s recovery.
"We extend our gratitude to all Haitians of goodwill and others who have expressed their wishes for a swift recovery. We will continue to provide updates through our official social media channels as necessary,” he said.
Ombaka further acknowledged the cooperation and support the MSS mission has received as it continues its operations.
"I sincerely thank you all for your unwavering support and cooperation as we engage in this decisive phase of operations against criminal elements,” he said.
Kenya has already lost one officer, Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai, who died in the line of duty on February 23, 2025.
The Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti said in a statement that the Kenyan officer was injured during an operation in the Artibonite department.
According to the statement, the Injured officer was then airlifted to a hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries.
Jack Ombaka, the mission’s spokesperson, said that casualty was the first the mission has suffered since the U.N.-backed anti-gang force arrived in the country, where rampant gang violence has displaced more than a million people.
The officer was killed during a confrontation with gang members, Ombaka wrote in a statement.
“We salute our fallen hero,” the statement read. “We will pursue these gangs to the last man standing. We will not let you down.”
The death came amid a surge in gang-related violence in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.
A new contingent of 144 Kenyan police officers, including 24 women, landed in PortauPrince on February 6 to reinforce the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti. Their arrival bolstered efforts to combat gang violence and support Haitian police, who have struggled to maintain order.
The deployment came just days after ElSalvador contributed 70 military personnel to assist with medical and casualty evacuations for MSS troops. The Kenyan officers joined the 600 already stationed in Haiti, further strengthening the international coalition to restore stability.
However, the mission faces uncertainty amid reports that a $15 million U.S. contribution to the U.N.controlled trust fund supporting the Kenya-led effort has been frozen.
The funding block is part of former President Trump’s broader 90-day freeze on nearly all U.S. foreign aid.
The suspended funds are a fraction of the $110.8 million in the U.N. basket fund and an even smaller portion of the more than $620 million the U.S. provided under the Biden administration to support the MSS mission.
To reassure stakeholders, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince stated that the U.S. has not entirely paused assistance for the mission. The embassy also noted that Senator Marco Rubio had approved waivers worth millions of dollars to ensure ongoing operations.
The mission continues to gain international support, with troops from Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica, and Belize working alongside Haitian police.
