A Kenyan police officer deployed as part of the international force combating gang violence in Haiti has been killed, coinciding with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Caribbean, where Haiti’s security crisis remains a key focus.
The officer, Bénédict Kabiru, was initially declared missing following an attack on two mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles on Tuesday in Pont-Sondé, located in the Artibonite region.
The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission later confirmed his death.
Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council honoured Kabiru’s sacrifice, stating, “This valiant police officer, engaged alongside Haitian forces to fight insecurity, made the ultimate sacrifice for a better future for our country. His bravery and commitment will never be forgotten.”
Efforts to locate the officer included a search and rescue operation conducted by MSS forces and the Haitian National Police, according to Kenya’s National Police Service.
The ambush occurred during a recovery mission for an armored police vehicle that had become stuck in a ditch, an obstacle MSS suspects was deliberately created by gangs.
While attempting to extract the vehicle, one of the MRAPs also got stuck, and the second suffered mechanical failure. As officers worked to resolve the issue, they came under sudden attack from gang members, MSS reported.
In the aftermath, videos emerged online purportedly showing the fallen officer’s body.
CNN has not independently verified the footage and has reached out to MSS for clarification.
Kabiru’s death marks the second Kenyan casualty since MSS forces arrived in Haiti in June.
In February, another Kenyan officer lost his life in an operation within the same Artibonite region, MSS disclosed.
The U.S. has played a major role in financing the MSS, and Haiti’s deteriorating security landscape is a central issue in Secretary Rubio’s discussions during his regional tour.
Rubio landed in Jamaica on March 26, 2025, at Norman Manley International Airport in Port Royal. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet with Fritz Jean, the president of Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council, to discuss strategies for regional collaboration in addressing Haiti’s ongoing crisis.
Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, remains largely under gang control, with estimates indicating that over 80% of the city is dominated by armed groups.
As MSS forces push to regain control, gangs have expanded their reach into rural areas, particularly in the Artibonite region, which is vital for agriculture.
The region has witnessed brutal violence, including an October massacre in which at least 70 people, including women and children, were killed by the Gran Grif gang, according to the United Nations.
Escalating violence in Port-au-Prince has triggered record levels of displacement, worsening the country’s humanitarian crisis.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported on Wednesday that nearly 23,000 people were displaced in a single week in March alone.
The ongoing instability has also disrupted crucial supply chains. “Beyond the worrying situation in the capital, almost half of the entire population, that’s 5.5 million human beings, is going hungry, one of the highest proportions in any crisis around the world,” Dujarric warned.
