Kenya Police Patrol Haiti’s Capital After Reinforcements Arrive.

On Wednesday, Kenyan police patrolled Port-au-Prince in armored vehicles, as announced by a local official. Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille declared new emergency measures to combat the country’s gangs.

The vehicles, carrying Kenyan forces and Haitian police, patrolled areas around the National Palace and other parts of Port-au-Prince. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, did not provide details on the operation’s objectives.

An AFP journalist reported hearing several bangs as the vehicles passed, though it was unclear if they were gunshots from the police or the armed gangs controlling about 80 percent of the capital. Conille addressed the nation, stating that the authorities had declared a state of security emergency in 14 communes under gang control.

“This will provide the government with the necessary tools and instruments to confront the bandits and restore state authority,” Conille said.

A government source told AFP that the affected communes are in the country’s west and center. Conille authorized the national police, the Haitian army, and the Kenyan force to launch operations in these areas based on established plans.

“Our final objective is to reclaim all areas controlled by gangs, house by house, neighborhood by neighborhood, and city by city,” he added.

Kenya took the lead last year in forming an international force to help Haiti tackle its escalating insecurity. The UN-approved mission, initially set for one year, includes 2,500 personnel from countries such as Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, the Bahamas, and Barbados.

Kenya has sent approximately 400 personnel to Haiti, with 200 arriving on June 25 and another 200 on Tuesday. An additional 600 are expected in the coming weeks.

While the United States has ruled out sending forces, it is providing funding and logistical support for the mission.

Haiti has long suffered from gang violence, which sharply worsened in late February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, aiming to overthrow then-prime minister Ariel Henry. The violence has severely impacted food security and humanitarian aid access, with much of the city under the control of gangs accused of murder, rape, looting, and kidnappings.