One police officer killed and several others injured as security mission in Haiti faces new challenges.
A Kenyan police officer deployed in Haiti has died after a road accident involving vehicles from the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS). The crash, which happened on Sunday evening near Port-au-Prince, also left eight officers and several civilians injured.
The MSS, which is led by Kenya and backed by the United Nations, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.
“Eight MSS officers sustained injuries, three of them in serious condition and requiring evacuation to the Dominican Republic for specialised treatment,” said Jack Ombaka, the mission’s spokesperson. He added that the mission “deeply regrets the loss of life” and extended condolences to the families of both the officer and a civilian who also died.
The crash occurred during a recovery operation when one MaxxPro vehicle towing another developed mechanical problems, Ombaka explained. The injured were first taken to Aspen Level 2 Hospital at LSA 2 before being transferred to Lambert Santé Hospital in Pétion-Ville.
The accident comes at a time when the international mission is already struggling with limited resources. Of the 2,500 officers it planned to send, only about 1,000 have been deployed, including more than 700 Kenyans. The mission’s presence has not stopped violence from escalating in Haiti’s capital, where gangs control much of the city.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly warned that Haiti’s crisis remains “shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded.” The country has been in turmoil since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. A transitional council is currently in charge and has promised elections by February 2026.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 3,100 people have been killed in Haiti in the first half of this year alone.
For the families of those serving under the MSS, Sunday’s accident adds to the heavy toll of a mission tasked with stabilizing one of the world’s most volatile nations.
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