Security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti to join the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, a UN- and US-backed initiative aimed at combating the country’s escalating gang violence. High-ranking officials, including Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council leader Leslie Voltaire and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins, welcomed the troops in Port-au-Prince.

Haiti has struggled with gang violence, natural disasters, and a hunger crisis, particularly after President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination in 2021. The MSS, initiated by the UN Security Council in 2023, includes Kenyan officers and aims to restore peace alongside Haitian police, despite facing delays and funding challenges.

Violence persists, with incidents such as US Embassy vehicles being attacked and flights grounded due to shootings. Commander Godfrey Otunge of the Kenyan contingent praised the new arrivals for strengthening the mission’s partnership with the Haitian government.