Jamaican soldiers and police arrive in Haiti to help fight criminal gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Two dozen soldiers and police officers from Jamaica arrived in Haiti on Thursday to join a UN-backed mission led by Kenya to combat powerful criminal gangs.

Jamaica is the second country to join the mission. The mission was approved by the UN Security Council in October 2023 and began when the first contingent of Kenyan police arrived in Haiti in late June.

Earlier this week, authorities in Jamaica announced the upcoming deployment, saying the 20 soldiers and four police officers would be responsible for command, planning and logistical support.

They will work with the Haitian army and police to combat gangs that control 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Jamaica had pledged a total of 170 soldiers and 30 police officers, but Prime Minister Andrew Holness said it was not possible to deploy them all at once.

The Jamaicans were deployed after the US warned that the Kenyan-led mission was under-resourced, and the US is also considering a UN peacekeeping mission as a way to secure more money and personnel.

The US and Ecuador recently circulated a draft resolution asking the UN to begin planning for a UN peacekeeping operation to replace the current mission. But experts have said it is unlikely the UN Security Council will approve it.

The current mission is expected to include a total of 2,500 troops. The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad have also pledged to send police and soldiers, although it is not yet clear when that will happen.