The National Police Service (NPS) has broken its silence just hours after the latest attack by suspected gang members in Haiti.
In a statement released on Wednesday, March 26, the NPS confirmed that the fate of a Kenyan officer remained unknown following an ambush by the gang on the Multinational Security Support (MSS) team.
"National Police Service has been notified that a Kenyan Police officer serving under the Kenyan-Led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti is missing," the statement read.
In their statement, the NPS neither confirmed nor denied whether the Kenyan police officer was killed in the ambush, but affirmed that a rescue operation was underway in collaboration with the Haitian National Police to recover the missing Kenyan.
The NPS added, "The MSS, in collaboration with the Haiti National Police, is actively conducting a search and rescue operation to locate the missing officer."
Despite the latest challenges facing the Kenyan contingent in Haiti, the NPS commended the Kenyan officers deployed there for their dedication to restoring order in the troubled Caribbean nation.
The attack is believed to have occurred on Tuesday, March 25, at around 4:30 pm, with gang members taking advantage of an armoured vehicle on patrol along the Carrefour Paye-Savien Main Supply Route getting stuck in a ditch.
In what appeared to be a well-orchestrated ambush, gang members attacked the contingent of officers after two MSS Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from Pont-Sonde were dispatched to assist in the recovery and also got stuck.
Like the NPS, MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka also stated on Wednesday morning that one Kenyan police officer had been confirmed missing after gunfire erupted between the officers and their attackers.
As of Wednesday morning, there were no specific details on casualties, although international media outlets reported that several gang members sustained injuries, with the possibility of fatalities.
Incidentally, the latest attack came a month after another Kenyan officer, Constable Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai, lost his life during an operation in Ségur-Savien. His death marked the first Kenyan casualty in the mission.
Kenya has deployed at least 800 police officers under the MSS mission, with the most recent contingent of 100 officers arriving on February 6, 2025.
