On Saturday, January 18, 2025, as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), an additional 217 Kenyan troops departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi) on a Kenya Airways commercial flight at 2:00 a.m. (Kenya time) for Haiti to reinforce the mission’s efforts to stabilize Haiti and assist local security forces in restoring order.

The reinforcements come amid growing concerns over escalating gang violence in Haiti, where armed groups that control more than 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince have forced more than a million people across the country to flee their homes https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44066-haiti-flash-more-than-a-million-people-in-haiti-have-been-displaced-by-violence-2024.html

These 217 military/police officers are among the 600 men and women who are to join the 400 Kenyans already deployed in Haiti, authorities said, specifying that another contingent of 200 Kenyans should arrive by the end of January and a final contingent of about 200 men in February https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43399-haiti-flash-kenyan-president-ruto-confirms-sending-600-police-officers-video.html (which will complete Kenya's commitment to send 1,000 men to fight armed gangs in Haiti alongside the Haitian National Police). https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44066-haiti-flash-more-than-a-million-people-in-haiti-have-been-displaced-by-violence-2024.html

This Kenyan contingent expected this Saturday will bring the total strength of the Mission to 807 military/police officers (617 Kenyans, 150 Guatemalans, 8 Salvadorans, 6 Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans and 2 Belizeans) on the 2,500 men in total from different countries, estimated for the mission.

See also:

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-44076-haiti-actualite-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44066-haiti-flash-more-than-a-million-people-in-haiti-have-been-displaced-by-violence-2024.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43399-haiti-flash-kenyan-president-ruto-confirms-sending-600-police-officers-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40994-haiti-flash-the-kenyan-parliament-approves-the-sending-of-1-000-police-officers-to-support-the-pnh-but.html

SL/ HaitiLibre