PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — The spokesman of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, Jack Ombaka, has described as a “hero” the first casualty of the MSS, who died from injuries sustained during an anti-gang operation on Sunday.

“We will pursue these gangs to the last man standing. We will not let you down,” he added.

In a statement, the MSS said that the anti-gang operation had taken place north of the capital, Port au Prince, in the lower Artibonite region in Segur-Savien in the town of Pont Sonde.

“The officer was immediately airlifted to Aspen Level 2 Hospital but, unfortunately, succumbed to the injuries,” the statement said.

“After the officer was shot, fellow officers pursued and killed the gang member responsible, Ombaka said, adding that the officer, whose name was not disclosed “died a hero”.

The United Nations (UN) Security Council in 2023 passed a resolution for a Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, aimed at combating gang violence and restoring stability in the country.

Speaking at the ceremonial opening of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) summit last Wednesday, Barbados Prime Minister and Caricom chair, Mia Mottley, said that the situation in Haiti continues to be a major concern to the grouping “and it is not going to be sufficient just to be able to say that Haiti will have an election on November 15”.

The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said he intends to present to the United Nations Security Council a new initiative aimed at supporting security and stability in Haiti.

“It is my intention to present to the Security Council a proposal that is very similar to the one that we have presented for Somalia, in which the UN assumes the responsibility of the structural and logistical expenditures that are necessary to put the force in place, and the salaries of the force are paid through the trust fund that already exists.

“And if the Security Council will accept this proposal, we will have the conditions to finally have an effective force to defeat the gangs in Haiti and create the conditions for democracy,” Guterres said.

Haiti is facing a crisis following the assassination in July 2021 of the then president Jovenel Moise. Criminal gangs are seeking to take complete control of the capital Port au Prince, and have launched several attacks, killing women and children among others.

Over the past week, Kenyan police officers have been conducting continuous security operations in the Lower Artibonite where they were “successfully neutralising several gangs,” Ombaka said.

He said in response, the residents of Seguin in Pont-Sonde called for similar action in their area.

“Answering their plea, our brave Kenyan officers responded without hesitation,” Ombaka said in the statement, adding “this is the price our courageous officer paid — he was killed while fighting for the people of Haiti”.