As Kenyan police jointly with the Haitian officers intensify efforts to end gang violence in the Caribbean nation, the gangs have invented new strategies to fight back the peacekeepers.
In a video shared by DW news outlet on October 20, journalists from the publication went on a patrol with Kenyan officers in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital where gangs control several streets in the city.
Despite the remarkable efforts by the Kenyan officers to open up several routes, some parts of the city remain inaccessible due to intense gang activity. In one of the towns located near Port-au-Prince, the gangs erected huge containers along the roads heading to the city to block the peacekeepers from accessing residential areas.
The gangs often use shipping containers stolen from the port to barricade the roads, forcing the Kenyan police to clear them up using their armoured vehicles. During the operation, the locals were on high alert to avoid finding themselves at the centre of the fierce shootout between the Kenyan police and the dreaded gangs.
Another strategy the gangs have turned to is pelting jerricans filled with petrol at the Kenyan contingent to stop them from opening fire at the gang members. In one of the incidents, a gang member was captured throwing a leaking can containing petrol at the vehicle ferrying the officers.
The gangs then threw a burning projectile at the officers with the intention of setting the armoured vehicle on fire. However, their attempts to raze the officers’ vehicles proved futile as the armed police quickly intervened and extinguished the flame.
After several futile attempts to burn the armoured vehicles, the gangs resorted to shooting at the vehicles in a bid to expel the officers from the gang-ridden regions. However, the adamant officers did not hesitate and began firing back, forcing the gangs back into hiding.
During the patrol, the gangs also erected skulls obtained from cadavers along the roads to intimidate the Kenyan police. “The skulls are usually erected there to intimidate us, sending a message that we should not attempt to gain entry to the street,” narrated a Kenyan police officer.
"It is very dangerous but then we need to keep pressing on, we can not leave the gangs to control the area, and then the Asians also reply on hemp from the International communities, we need more people supporting us and more equipment so that we can keep pushing on," noted Arnold Mugo, the patrol commander.
However, Mission Commander Godfrey Otunge noted that despite the challenges faced by the mission, the officers had made incredible strides in defeating the gangs.
"You talk about the airport, it is working, you talk about the hotels, the hotels in Port-au-Prince are fully booked, the businesses that were closed are now opening up, schools that were closed are now being reopened," Otunge narrated.
"Immediately I get what I want in terms of equipment, personnel and funding, it is just a matter of time because the mission's mandate has been extended by one year," Otunge added.
