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Kenyan police patrolled Port-au-Prince in armored vehicles Wednesday, according to a local official, the AFP reported. Meanwhile Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille unveiled new emergency measures to combat the country’s gang violence.
The armored vehicles, carrying both Kenyan forces and Haitian police, patrolled areas around the National Palace and other parts of the capital. The local official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide specific details about the operation’s objectives. Several loud bangs were heard as the vehicles passed, though it was unclear if they were shots fired by police or armed gangs that control approximately 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.
In a brief national address Wednesday, Prime Minister Conille announced a state of security emergency in 14 communes under gang control. “This measure will equip the government with the necessary tools and instruments to act, confront the bandits, and restore the authority of the state,” he said.
Prior to Conille’s announcement, a government source indicated that the affected communes are located in the western and central regions of the country. Conille authorized the national police, Haitian army, and Kenyan forces to commence operations in these areas based on pre-established plans. “The ultimate goal is to reclaim all areas controlled by gangs, house by house, neighborhood by neighborhood, and city by city,” he declared.
Kenya has taken a leading role in the international effort to assist Haiti in addressing its severe security challenges. The UN-approved mission, initially set for one year, will involve 2,500 personnel from countries including Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, the Bahamas, and Barbados. Kenya has already deployed around 400 personnel to Haiti—200 in late June and another 200 on Tuesday—with plans to send an additional 600 in the coming weeks.
While the United States has ruled out deploying forces, it is providing financial and logistical support for the mission.
Haiti has been plagued by gang violence for years, but the situation deteriorated significantly at the end of February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, aiming to overthrow then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The violence has severely impacted food security and humanitarian aid access, with large parts of the city under the control of gangs accused of numerous abuses, including murder, rape, looting, and kidnappings.
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