Jamaican soldiers and police arrive in Haiti to help fight gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Two dozen soldiers and police officers from Jamaica have arrived in Haiti to join a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenya to combat powerful gangs. Jamaica is the second country to join the mission, which the U.N. Security Council approved in October 2023. It 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 providing command, planning and logistical support. They arrived Thursday and will work with Haiti’s military and police to combat gangs that control 80 percent of the capital of Port-au-Prince.