Military police and soldiers from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti on Friday, joining the international effort to restore security in the gang-plagued nation. This latest deployment forms part of a U.N.-sanctioned mission spearheaded by Kenya and backed by the United States.
The contingent includes 83 security personnel: an advance team of eight Salvadoran soldiers and the first wave of 75 Guatemalan military police officers, with 75 more Guatemalans expected in the coming days. Salvadoran troops are tasked with casualty and medical evacuations, providing critical support for the mission’s operations against violent gangs terrorizing Haiti.
The arrival of Central American forces bolsters the 416 police officers and soldiers already deployed from Kenya, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Belize. These reinforcements come as the U.S. ramps up logistical support, delivering essential equipment via 22 flights over the past month. Supplies include armored vehicles and resources for the Haitian National Police and the Kenyan-led force.
U.S. State Department spokesman reiterated the mission’s strategic goals: transitioning the Multinational Security Support (MSS) initiative into a longer-term U.N. peacekeeping effort. “Our hope is that this paves the way to security conditions that result in holding free and fair elections,” he stated.
