Kenya sends police reinforcements to Haiti

Kenya has deployed 217 more police officers to Haiti to provide backup to an understaffed security mission in the Caribbean country where spiralling gang violence has displaced more than a m i l l i o n people, including one in eight children, reports RFI. ‘The arrival of these reinforcements marks a crucial step in freeing our country from the grip of criminal networks and restoring peace,’ said Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime. Kenya began sending troops to Haiti in June as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) under the auspices of the United Nations. Some 10 countries – including Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica and Belize – have together pledged over 3 100 troops, but so far few have deployed. President William Ruto has pledged to deploy 1 000 troops as part of the MSS force, but Reuters reported last month that nearly 20 people in the initial deployment had submitted letters of resignation from the anti-gang mission due to pay delays and poor conditions. The MSS in Haiti denied it had received resignations. The UN estimates that more than 80% of the Haitian capital is still controlled by criminal gangs.

Full RFI report