- Three members of MSS soldiers were gunned down in an ambush on Sunday, April 20, in Kenscoff.
- The soldiers were responding to a call for reinforcement when they were attacked by gang members.
- Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé mourned their deaths, calling them heroes of the nation.
- The Multinational Security Support team and Haitian police have since launched a manhunt for the attackers.
- The Kenya-led peace mission continues amid rising threats, with Kenyan officers also previously killed in action.
A deadly ambush in Kenscoff, located in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, claimed the lives of three soldiers from the Haitian Armed Forces (FAD’H) on Sunday.
The soldiers were in a non-armored pick-up truck, en route to assist Haitian National Police officers battling members of a notorious gang known as Viv Ansanm, when they came under heavy fire from assailants hidden in an elevated building.
Prime Minister Mourns Fallen Troops
Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé expressed sorrow over the tragic loss, describing the fallen as patriotic warriors who died defending their nation.
“They faced danger head-on and laid down their lives while protecting the country they had vowed to serve,” he said.
“These men are not just soldiers. They are sons of our nation, whose sacrifice echoes the cost of freedom and national security.”
MSS and Police Launch Manhunt
Following the attack, both Multinational Security Support (MSS) officers and Haitian police launched a joint operation targeting the gang members behind the ambush. Several suspects were reportedly injured during the mission.
The MSS, spearheaded by Kenya, remains committed to restoring order in the gang-ridden nation. Other countries including Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and Jamaica have also sent forces to bolster the peacekeeping effort.
Kenyan Losses in the Haiti Mission
Kenya, which has deployed over 800 police officers to Haiti under the MSS mission, has also suffered casualties.
Two Kenyan officers, Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai and Bénédict Kabiru, were killed in separate gang-related attacks between February and March. The peace mission continues to face serious resistance from armed criminal groups in various regions of the country.
The killing of the three Haitian soldiers adds to the growing list of casualties in Haiti’s fight against lawlessness. As global partners rally behind the Caribbean nation, the price of restoring peace continues to rise.
