NAIROBI, Kenya, (CMC) — Kenya says it will send an all-female Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to reinforce security efforts in Haiti where criminal gangs are seeking to overthrow the government of the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

In a brief statement, the Ministry of the Interior said that “as part of the unwavering commitment to the people of Haiti, Kenya will continue to deploy additional officers from various specialised units”.

It said this would include members of the General Service Unit (GSU), the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and “an all-female Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to reinforce security efforts and ensure sustained progress in restoring order”.

The female SWAT team comprises women who have undergone rigorous training and are designed to handle high-risk situations that require specialised skills. Additionally, the SWAT team is also trained to handle counter-terrorism operations, hostage rescues and armed confrontations.

The SWAT team was first deployed in 2012, and observers say its deployment to Haiti is expected to mark a significant milestone in Kenya’s international peacekeeping efforts, as the country aims to strengthen its reputation as a trusted and reliable global peacekeeping partner.

Haiti’s Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, said the arrival of 218 Kenyan police and military personnel last weekend illustrates the determination of his government and the international community to eradicate armed gangs and restore peace and security.

“The arrival of these reinforcements marks a crucial step in freeing our country from the grip of criminal networks and restoring peace there,” he said.

The arrival of the Kenyans over the last weekend brings the total strength of the United Nations Security Council-sanctioned Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti to 807 military and police officers including 617 Kenyans, 150 Guatemalans, eight Salvadorans, six Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans and two Belizeans.

The MSS is expected to reach a total of 2,500 and last weekend’s reinforcement comes amid growing concerns over escalating gang violence in Haiti, where armed groups that control more than 80 per cent of the capital have forced more than a million people across the country to flee their homes.

The United Nations Human Rights Office reported earlier this month that at least 5,601 people were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, an increase of over 1,000 on the total killings for 2023. It said a further 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 kidnapped.