Kenyan MSS Officer Reported Missing in Haiti After Gang Attack

GOOBJOOG NEWS | PORT-AU-PRINCE: A Kenyan officer serving in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti has gone missing after an attack by suspected gang members in Port-au-Prince, the mission confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when MSS officers responded to assist a Haitian National Police (HNP) armored vehicle that had become stuck in a ditch, suspected to have been deliberately dug by gangs along the Carrefour Paye-Savien Main Supply Route in the Pont-Sonde area of Artibonite Department.

Two MSS Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles were dispatched from Pont-Sonde to aid the recovery operation. However, one of the MSS vehicles also got stuck, while the other developed mechanical issues, leaving the officers vulnerable. As the rescue teams worked to resolve the situation, heavily armed gang members launched an ambush.

During the exchange of gunfire, several gang members were reportedly injured, some fatally.

When the firefight subsided, one Kenyan officer was found to be missing. Specialized search teams have since been deployed to locate the officer and determine his status.

Local media reports claim the missing officer may have been killed, with disturbing videos circulating on social media appearing to show a bloodied uniformed soldier lying on the ground. However, MSS officials have not confirmed these reports.

The attack comes just a week after another senior Kenyan police officer was shot in the head while on duty in the same area on March 18. He remains in critical condition in a hospital, officials said.

The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated sharply in recent months, with heavily armed gangs controlling large portions of the capital and other regions. The Kenyan-led MSS mission was deployed to support local police in restoring order amid the escalating violence.

Additional reporting by Agencies.