The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) was dealt an early, tragic blow in Haiti. It finally became urgent when one of its officers was murdered in an ambush by members of organized crime. No one died, but several were injured when police opened fire during the search and rescue operation in Pont-Sondé, a town along the country’s Artibonite region on Tuesday. Since its deployment in June, the mission has been directly fighting gangs in Haiti. Sadly, it bore the tragedy of losing Officer Bénédict Kabiru. This is the latest MSS casualty, as the organization forges on in its war against insecurity across the West African nation.
The United States has been the most important financial backer of MSS since its launch. The security mission’s objective was to help local authorities respond to the current and still escalating security crisis. On Tuesday, MSS made a coalition to draw strength with the Haitian National Police. Collectively, it forced them to release a search and rescue when an armored police vehicle found itself temporarily immobilized in a ditch. The ditch, near Pont-Sondé, might have been intentionally dug by bandits, MSS officials said.
As these officers tried to remove the vehicle, and as fate would have it, they came under gunfire by the very same gang members. The operation had two mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles. One MRAP vehicle became stuck in passable terrain, the other experienced a mechanical failure. This opened the officers up to the ambush. During the attack Officer Bénédict Kabiru was killed while serving to protect as part of an integrated police-Haitian Defense Forces contingent in Haiti’s ongoing battle against insecurity.
The MSS has been doing its best under dreadful and unmanageable conditions to re-establish public order and security in Haiti since its deployment. Although relatively new, UNPOL has been challenged in an extraordinary way by armed gangs operating within the country. The sacrifice of Officer Kabiru serves as a tragic reminder of the hazards that come with these important missions.
