Haiti Gang Leader’s Warning to Kenya’s Deputy IG Noor Gabow Sparks Tensions
A prominent figure from the criminal underworld has vehemently opposed Kenya’s decision to lead the multinational force dispatched to combat the aggressive gang that has seized control of major cities in Haiti.
Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, the leader of the G9 Family and Allies gang alliance, warned that his troops would not allow the foreign mission headed by Kenya’s Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow to allegedly terrorize the country’s citizens.
Last week on Thursday, Barbecue vowed to strike back if the team violated human rights.
He argued that previous peacekeepers sent to the 11 million-person nation committed violations, such as assault and cholera outbreak engineering.
“We will fight until our last breath against them. According to Al Jazeera, the commander of the gang stated that the Haitian people would have to fight to save the country’s honor.
ABC News did not receive a response from Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow regarding his comments on the threats issued by Barbecue.
Ironically, the United Nations and other security stakeholders have accused Barbecue of various illicit activities that contribute to insecurity and instability in Haiti, particularly in the Caribbean nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
The United Nations (UN), which approved Kenya’s role in conducting the foreign mission, issued a statement condemning the extreme brutality the gang had unleashed on the citizens in response to the gang leader’s threats.
According to the United Nations, killings have recently increased, forcing citizens to abandon city centers. The gang members who stormed police stations have since overwhelmed law enforcement, which consists of only 10,000 officers.
Other security forces estimate that gangs currently control 80% of the country, including the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
ALSO READ: Haiti’s Urban Warfare Outmatches Kenya’s Police
As Kenyan police prepare to enter the country, all eyes will be on Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow, who is expected to assist local law enforcement in dealing with the gang’s uprising.
Gabow will not only assist Haitian authorities in repelling the gang that has seized control of the capital of the North American country, Port-au-Prince but will also attempt to limit the gang’s influence in the surrounding suburbs.
The gang’s hold on the nation has compelled thousands of its citizens to leave their homes in quest of a better life in safer and more tranquil communities.
The Function of Kenya in Restoring Normalcy in Haiti
Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Mutua stated at the beginning of August that the deployment of Kenyan police was intended to assist Haitian law enforcement in restoring normalcy.
Former Machakos Governor Mutua stated, “Kenya stands with people of African descent around the world, including those in the Caribbean, and aligns with the African Union’s diaspora policy and our own commitment to Pan Africanism and, in this case, to the reclaiming of the Atlantic crossing.'”
The United Nations estimates that 2,439 people have been murdered since the gang’s activities intensified in January 2023.
The governance decline began in July 2021, shortly after the assassination of then-President Jovenel Mose.
Haiti Gang Leader’s Warning to Kenya’s Deputy IG Noor Gabow Sparks Tensions