The Kenyan police and their Haiti counterparts Sunday announced a fresh phase of operations in major slums in Port-au-Prince amid resistance from the gangs operating there.
The officials under the Multi-National Security Support Mission to Haiti and Haitian National Police (HNP) said in a statement their commitment to decisively deal with the gangs in Haiti had just begun.
“The MSS and HNP are conducting clearance operations in Delmas, Bel-Air, Solino, and their environs to weed out gangs and return normalcy in the mentioned areas,” said the statement.
MSSM commander Godfrey Otunge said the pacification operations will be conducted by sea, land and air by primarily clearing roads and streets to allow normal flow of people and vehicular movement.
“This will see security operations being conducted road to road, street to street and house to house, leaving no room for the gangs to operate.”
“It is therefore incumbent upon the gangs to put down their weapons and surrender to the government to face the rule of law,” he said.
He said they continue to seek the support of the Haitian people, Haitian authorities and various stakeholders to enable them to re-establish security and improve conditions to hold free and fair elections.
“The MSS remains steadfast and fully committed to its mandate as clearly outlined in resolution 2699 by working with the HNP to ensure a new Haiti.”
The operation came days after the arrival and reception of more MaxxPros from the USA meant for MSSM prompting a joint special operation that involved MSSM Kenya contingent Special Forces and HNP.
MSS has received additional vehicles and equipment over the last one week, leading to more sustained joint operations between HNP and MSS personnel, Otunge said.
“I wish to reiterate that operations to counter and clear gang activities across entire Haiti is taking shape while noting that it will be a process and a journey that needs all of us to walk together.”
The fresh operation in the areas came days after a gun drama that left at least three Haiti police officers injured in an operation targeting gangs in Bel-Air district and Solino, Port-au-Prince on August 26.
The Haitian victims were slightly injured during the joint operation with their Kenyan counterparts and are still receiving treatment.
“This being the first biggest targeted operation, locals were informed about the operations, and gangsters who tried to stage resistance escaped through the narrow streets. Three HNP police, were slightly injured during the operation and are still receiving treatment,” read part of the statement.
The commanders reiterated their commitment to ensuring that peace and normalcy returned in Haiti.
They warned the gang members that this operation was just the beginning and that they were yet to see more unless they downed their weapons, surrendered to the government, and were ready to face justices for the atrocities they committed.
They maintained that subsequent security operations will be sustained, and that the Haitian government will deploy all its resources to support the joint operations.
Locals have hailed the operations and expressed optimism that if such operations are maintained, the gangs will have no room to hide but surrender to the government.
The teams on the ground have been facing resistance from the gangs in Port-au-Prince in the past months.
This came as the team said they had faced challenges due to lack of equipment.
Officials said with the arrival of more equipment including armoured vehicles, they hope to push the gangs further from the occupied areas.
More force-contributing countries like the Bahamas and Jamaica have indicated plays to deploy to the theatre soon.
Among others, the team has taken control of a local port, a national hospital and a major road from the gang.
Violence in Ganthier had by August 1 displaced nearly 6,000 residents, U.N. data showed.
Kenyan police are in Haiti to help the local officials stabilize from gangs that had almost overrun the capital.
Apart from Kenya, other countries that have pledged to send officers to Haiti include Benin, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Algeria, Canada and France.
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