Kenyan police in Haiti on Thursday, December 7, engaged in a heavy gunfire exchange with gang members as the fight against gang violence rages on.
Videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke show the Kenyan police, who lead the Multinational Security Support Mission tasked with bringing stability back to Haiti, engaging in heavy gunfire against the Jimmy Cherizier alias Barbecue-led gang across multiple fronts.
The footage painted a picture of what the battle between the two parties looks like in Haiti, a country that has been on a steep decline since 2021. According to one of the police forces in the footage, the battle was taking place in the area surrounding Barbecue’s residence.
In the wake of the clash, MSSM commander Godfrey Otunge issued a warning to the gangs, stating that the mission was set to shift to a higher gear in the coming weeks and months.
“I am now going to fully embark on a decisive operation, the second phase, and I am saying that the days are numbered for the gangs. Either you surrender to the authorities, that is, the Haitian government, or we are coming for you,” he affirmed.
The gun battle follows a Friday, November 22, a special joint operation between the Haiti National Police and the Kenyan forces attacking the dreaded Barbecue in Delmas.
While the Viv Ansanm gang leader narrowly escaped a police bullet, the officers were able to kill two gang members. Following the operation, the officers recovered several pieces of military equipment, including firearms.
The latest development has further reinforced the notion of what is the new normal in Haiti as gang violence remains rampant, with the MSS mission doing its best to quell the chaos in the country.
The battle has been centralised in major strategic areas like the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, the Toussaint-Louverture International Airport, Varreux Fuel Terminal, and the National Police College.
The first contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti on June 25, 2024, to lead the multinational force to restore peace and political stability back to Haiti. Gang violence in the country has led to the displacement of over half a million people, with nearly five million facing acute food insecurity. The gangs had taken over Haiti, carrying out widespread killings, ransom kidnappings, and meting out inhuman forms of violence.
However, since then, the forces have faced a myriad of challenges, such as inadequate personnel and equipment as well as funding shortages that have threatened the sustenance of the mission.
On Friday, December 6, the mission was dealt a big blow as nearly 20 police officers, including a unit commander, resigned from the mission citing delayed payment and hardships.
According to Reuters, police officers had started submitting letters of resignation in October after efforts to resign verbally were thwarted, with the officers advised to tender their resignation in writing.
