Kenya reports first casualty in Haiti anti-gang operation

Kenya reports first casualty in Haiti anti-gang operation
Force Commander Godfrey Otunge said the officer was airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital but passed away while receiving treatment/MSS/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 24 – Kenya recorded its first casualty in Haiti after a Kenyan police officer succumbed to injuries sustained during an anti-gang operation in Port-au-Prince.

Godfrey Otunge, the commander of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, said the officer was airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital but passed away while receiving treatment.

“On Sunday, February 23, 2025, one of our MSS officers from the Kenyan contingent was injured during an operation in Segur-Savien, in the Artibonite department. The officer was immediately airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital but, unfortunately, succumbed to the injuries,” read the statement.

This marks the first casualty for Kenya since deploying officers to the Caribbean nation to combat gangs.

Kenya has so far deployed 744 officers to Haiti, including 24 officers from the elite all-female SWAT team, with the latest contingent of 144 police officers arriving in the country on February 7, 2025.

Other countries that have deployed officers for the mission include Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica, and Belize.

More on this story

  1. Haiti Exit: 150 officers leave as drawdown of Kenya-led Misssion enters final phase
  2. Masengeli visits Kenyan police officers in Haiti as drawdown enters final phase
  3. Chaos in Haiti as civilians attempt to block departure of Kenyan police officers
  4. Kenya to begin drawdown in Haiti as Gang Suppression Force takes over
  5. Haiti TPC leadership visits GSF as gang suppression efforts intensify