Kenya has announced the deployment of an additional 217 police officers to Haiti as part of the ongoing multinational security mission aimed at restoring order in the violence-ridden Caribbean nation.
This brings the total number of Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti to 617.
The deployment comes amid ongoing security challenges in Haiti, where criminal gangs control a significant portion of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
While the Kenyan-led mission has made some progress in reducing gang violence, the security situation remains precarious. The UN reported that gang violence resulted in at least 5,601 deaths in Haiti last year, a significant increase compared to the previous year.
The deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti has drawn some criticism from rights groups, with concerns raised about alleged excessive use of force by Kenyan security personnel during recent anti-government protests in Kenya.
Despite these concerns, the Kenyan government remains committed to supporting the international effort to restore peace and stability in Haiti.