Kenya has agreed to send 1,000 policemen to Haiti to keep the peace.
After a gun battle that lasted for days, armed gangs released 4,000 inmates in the largest prison in Haiti after Sunday’s release.
Local media reported that the vast majority of the men in the Port-au-Prince prison successfully escaped. Many of the inmates are gang members accused of involvement in the assassination in 2021 of Haitian president Jovenel Mose.
The attack on the prison began earlier this weekend, when Ariel Henry, the Prime Minister of the United States left for Kenya to seek assistance in fighting domestic gangs.
Former policeman Jimmy Cherizier called on armed groups, including the gang leader, to topple Henry’s government. Both the National Penitentiary as well as the main container port of the country were attacked by gangs.
After a gun battle that lasted for days, armed gangs released almost 4,000 inmates in the largest prison in Haiti on Sunday.
Cherizier stated, “We are all united, both the armed group in the province towns and the armed group in the capital.”
Henry had promised to resign by the end of February. However, he said that gang violence must be eradicated before fair and free elections can be held.
Haiti hasn’t held elections since 2016.
Henry had promised to resign by the end of February. However, he said that gang violence must be eradicated before fair and free elections can be held.
Henry was successful in Friday’s negotiations in Kenya.
Kenya agreed to lead an international police force authorized by the U.N. to Haiti in October, but in January, the Kenyan High Court ruled that the plan was unconstitutional. This is partly due to the lack of reciprocal agreements made between the two nations.
Kenya’s agreement last week ensures that 1,000 police officers will be sent to the troubled Caribbean country to combat ongoing gang-related violence.
William Ruto, the Kenyan president, said that he witnessed with Henry the signing of reciprocal agreements on Friday between the two nations.
