(Image via cnn.com)
Staff Writer: Akshit Bagga
Email: abagga@umassd.edu
UN backed combat operations tackling gang violence in Haiti turned deadly as violent gangs kidnapped and killed Kenyan police officers.
Gang violence has been on the rise in the Caribbean country of Haiti. It exacerbated following 2020, when local gangs stormed in and took control of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Since then, the government and security forces have been battling deadly gangs to maintain control of the region.
To fight the gang menace in the Caribbean region, the United States proposed a UN-backed peace keeping mission during September last year. While multiple countries came together in this multi-nation mission led by Kenyan forces, the gangs intensified their attacks and continued to conquer more regions while killing police officers and innocent citizens.
During a recent encounter between the security forces and the gang members, a Kenyan police officer was abducted by the gangs. The incident occurred on March 25th in the town of Pont-Sonde when a Haitian police vehicle got stuck in a ditch suspected to have been dug by gang members.
Three armored vehicles were set on fire by the gang members.
While the officials continue to search for their officer, media sources claim that a WhatsApp video shows that the police officer has been killed. The officer was identified as Bénédict Kabiru.
Describing the scenario, a statement from the Kenyan-led security mission mentioned that at 4:30 pm, a patrol vehicle got stuck in a ditch. Two Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles were sent to the distress call, and later, one of them also got stuck in a ditch while the other one suffered a mechanical failure.
While the rescue teams attempted to manage the situation, the suspected gang members who were hiding in the bushes launched an attack and kidnapped Kabiru.
In February, another Kenyan police officer was shot by these gangs while he and his police party patrolled the region. The officer was a 26-year-old constable identified as Samuel Kaetuai.
Samuel’s body arrived in Kenya earlier this month, and he is survived by two kids and a wife.
Thousands of civilians have been killed due to the rising gang violence while many have been forced to leave their homes.
Commenting on Kabiru’s killing, the Haitian transitional presidential council said, “This valiant police officer, engaged alongside Haitian forces to fight insecurity, made the ultimate sacrifice for a better future for our country. His bravery and commitment will never be forgotten.”
The Haitian Transitional Presidential Council is a temporary body sworn in to exercise presidential powers until a new president is elected.
The recent casualty came just before the U.S. Secretary Marc Rubio was scheduled to visit the Caribbean country on October 26th.
A press note released after Rubio’s visit to Haiti mentioned, “Secretary Rubio noted the dire security situation in Port-au-Prince and commended the extraordinary bravery of the Haitian National Police, and all international personnel supporting the Multinational Security Support mission, for their work to establish stability and security in the country.”
It added, “Secretary Rubio reinforced the importance of coordination across the Haitian government to fight the criminal gangs terrorizing the Haitian people.”
Almost 80% of the Port-au-Prince city is currently controlled by gangs.
In an interview with Kabiru’s mother, Jacinta Wanjiku Kabiru said that her son left the country on July 15, 2024, and was set to return from the mission in less than four months.
Recalling their last conversation, she said, “The other day, he told me he had been moved from town to a village near a rice plantation. He had been there for two days. Kabiru added that he only had four months left before coming home. Now, I want the government to tell me where my son is.”
She criticized the online sources claiming that her son was killed.
In a recent attack on March 31, heavily armed gang members targeted the local Haitian prison and took control of the facility, resulting in at least 530 prisoners escaping their cells.UN’s human rights expert William O’Neill, who recently visited the Caribbean country, said, “These violent criminal groups continue to extend and consolidate their hold even beyond the capital.”
William added, “They kill, rape, terrorize, set fire to homes, orphanages, schools, hospitals, places of worship.”