NAIROBI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Kenyan police officer sent to Haiti to fight gang violence as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM) has gone missing after an attack by suspected gang members.

"The officer disappeared on Tuesday at around 4:30 p.m. during a patrol operation along the Carrefour Paye-Savien Main Supply Route in the Pont-Sonde area, Artibonite Department," the MSSM said in a statement late Tuesday.

The officers came under attack after one Haitian National Police armored vehicle on patrol got stuck in a ditch while another developed a mechanical issue.

Two mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles from Pont-Sonde were dispatched to assist in the recovery, the MSSM said.

"Unfortunately, during the recovery operation, one of the MRAPs also got stuck, while the other developed a mechanical issue," the MSSM said.

According to the MSSM, as the rescue teams attempted to resolve the situation, suspected gang members lying in wait launched an attack.

"As a result of the incident, one MSSM Kenyan contingent officer remains unaccounted for," it said, adding that specialized teams have been deployed to conduct a search and determine his whereabouts.

Kenya, which leads the United Nations-backed security mission in Haiti, has about 750 officers there. A Kenyan police officer was killed on Feb. 23.

Haiti has been beset by gang violence and political instability for years. Enditem

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