A harrowing video has emerged showing a Kenyan police officer, believed to be part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, being held by suspected gang members.
The disturbing footage shows the officer lying motionless on the ground, with one of the assailants slapping him but it is unclear if he is alive or dead.
MSS has confirmed the officer’s disappearance following an ambush by suspected gang members in the Artibonite Department.
MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka stated that the officer went missing on March 25 at approximately 16:30 hrs, during a routine patrol by the Haitian National Police (HNP) along the Carrefour Paye-Savien Main Supply Route.
The HNP’s armoured vehicle became stuck in what is suspected to be a deliberately dug ditch.
MSS deployed two Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from Pont-Sonde to assist, but the operation quickly turned disastrous. One MRAP also got stuck, while the other experienced a mechanical failure.
“As the rescue teams attempted to resolve the situation, suspected gang members, lying in wait, launched an attack,” Ombaka explained.
The missing officer’s fate remains uncertain. MSS has confirmed that specialized teams have been deployed to locate him and evaluate the situation.
“A comprehensive briefing will follow,” Ombaka added.
This incident follows the tragic killing of Constable Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai, who was shot and killed on February 23 in the same region while on duty.
Kenya has deployed at least 800 police officers under the UN-backed mission to help stabilize the troubled Caribbean nation.
