The Kenyan Police, jointly with Haitian officers, on Tuesday undertook security patrols within the streets of Delmas during which several gang members were arrested.
In a statement, the head of the peacekeepers, Godfrey Otunge, stated that among those cornered during the raid included two “Chen Mechan and Pierre 6” gang members.
While detailing the operation, Otunge revealed that several gang members were forced to flee in fear as the officers intensified their rampage.
“Some of the key areas that the joint operations have been able to recapture and maintain dominance patrols include various streets in Delmas,” Otunge stated.
Kenyan police officer during an operation in Haiti on July 17, 2024.
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AP
“The joint operations incorporated different formed HNP Units that saw the key areas pacified with several gangs members fleeing in consternation,” he added.
The joint security operations also saw the destruction and removal of several barricades that had been erected by gangs who sought to block the officers from accessing the gang residence.
Among the barricades removed by the officer included a double wall erected by the ‘400 Mawazo’ gang on a road that leads to the streets of Delmas.
Otunge further revealed that for the past couple of days, the Haitian government received several letters from the gang leaders calling for a truce.
However, the head of the peacekeepers stated that the Haitian administration would not agree to the gangs’ request.
“A number of gang leaders have been sending emissaries for truce and dialogue,” Otunge claimed.
“But the joint message from Prime Minister Garry Conille, Director General HNP Normil Rameau, and MSS Force Commander SAIG Godfrey Otunge is very clear: “Surrender, lay down your weapons, and be ready to be prosecuted for the atrocities you committed,”
The latest operation comes four days after 24 Jamaican military and police officers, along with two Belizean military officers arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
Upon their arrival, the new contingent was tasked with supporting mission command, planning, and logistics, setting the stage for future deployments.
Kenyan police officers patrolling Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on June 29, 2024.
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