U.S. mourns Kenyan Officer killed in Haiti peacekeeping mission

The officer was killed during an operation to combat gang violence and restore stability in the crisis-torn Caribbean country.

In a statement issued on Monday, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Kenya, Marc Dillard, expressed deep condolences to the officer's family and praised the bravery of Kenyan forces contributing to global security efforts.

"On behalf of the US Embassy, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of the Kenyan police officer who died yesterday while working to improve security in Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support mission," Dillard said. 

“The United States is grateful for the courageous Kenyan police officers who are serving in harm’s way to make our world safer.”

The officer, whose identity has yet to be revealed, was killed during an operation in Ségur-Savien, a volatile region of Haiti's Artibonite department. 

MSS Force Commander Geoffrey Otunge confirmed that the officer was quickly airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital in Haiti, where he died from his injuries.

Since 2023, Kenya has led the MSS mission in Haiti, working under a United Nations mandate to combat the escalating gang violence that has thrown the country into chaos. 

However, the mission has faced significant challenges, including funding shortages after financial contributions were frozen during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently noted that the mission remains understaffed, with fewer than 800 of the planned 2,500 officers deployed.

The security situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, with UN reports indicating that more than 5,600 people lost their lives to gang violence in 2024—a sharp increase of over 1,000 deaths compared to the previous year. Additionally, the number of displaced Haitians has tripled since 2023, surpassing one million people.

Kenya sent an additional 144 police officers to Haiti in January, backed up by renewed US support for the mission.