Port-au-Prince, (EFE).- One year after the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, led by Kenya and backed by the United Nations (UN), violence remains rampant across the country, with heavily armed gangs continuing to terrorize the population.
The mission began on Jun. 25, 2024, with the arrival of 400 Kenyan police officers in Port-au-Prince.
It has since grown to include around 1,000 troops and officers from Jamaica, Belize, the Bahamas, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Despite initial hopes of restoring order in cooperation with the Haitian National Police (PNH), the violence has continued unabated.
In the first few months of this year alone, at least 2,680 people were killed, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Critics say the mission has failed to deliver results, with rising frustration among residents.
The MSS has also suffered casualties: at least two members have been killed and another injured since its deployment.
Locals in Port-au-Prince complain the force remains largely confined to its base near the Toussaint Louverture National Airport, which has been closed since November following armed attacks.
Limited gains, lingering insecurity
On the road to Kenscoff, east of the capital, an EFE team observed a convoy of four armored vehicles carrying Kenyan police officers heading to Furcy.
While this area has seen some improvement, traces of past violence remain visible, including destroyed homes and churches, among them, a property once owned by former Haitian President René Préval.
Residents acknowledged some progress, crediting joint efforts by local security brigades, the PNH, and Kenyan forces.
However, frustrations persist. Some officers say Kenyan troops avoid engaging in combat, especially after two of their colleagues were killed in the Artibonite region.
Coordination between Haitian and Kenyan forces has also faced setbacks due to language barriers and a lack of translators.
This communication gap has undermined the effectiveness of joint operations, according to security personnel on the ground.
There are also complaints of limited logistical capacity. The National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) said the MSS lacks the equipment and resources needed to carry out large-scale operations and cannot move significant troop numbers effectively.
The organization warned that both PNH and MSS armored vehicles are used more for transportation than for combat.
Gangs expand control as crisis deepens
Despite the MSS presence, gang violence has persisted, with at least ten massacres and major armed attacks reported over the past year.
Armed groups have expanded their territorial control, with an estimated 85% of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area now under gang influence, up from 80% last year.
This has driven a mass displacement crisis, with around 1.3 million people forced to flee their homes. Over half of the displaced are children.
The MSS recently established an advanced operations base at the National Port Authority, aiming to secure critical infrastructure.
However, key national roads remain under gang control, with illegal checkpoints still in place.
Haiti’s worsening security situation compounds an already fragile political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.
National elections planned for November now appear increasingly unlikely due to insecurity, even as the transitional presidential council’s mandate expires in Feb. 2026. EFE
mm-md/seo/mcd
