UN-Backed GSF Launches Patrols in Haiti as 26 Gangs Control Up to 90% of Port-au-Prince
Updated
Updated · UN News · Jun 17
UN-Backed GSF Launches Patrols in Haiti as 26 Gangs Control Up to 90% of Port-au-Prince
3 articles · Updated · UN News · Jun 17
Summary
Foot patrols by the new Gang Suppression Force have begun in Port-au-Prince, with forward operating bases planned in and beyond the capital to push back heavily armed gangs.
More than 2,300 people have been killed and 1,100 injured in gang violence this year, while at least 26 gangs are estimated to control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince and nearby areas.
Camp Vertières is being equipped for the 5,550 personnel authorized by the Security Council, while the UN Support Office in Haiti is providing rations, medical care, transport and other operational backing.
António Guterres toured the base Tuesday and said the deployment offers a real chance to restore state authority, but argued security gains must be paired with political progress and stronger international support.
The operation unfolds after years of instability that have displaced about 1.5 million Haitians since President Jovenel Moïse's 2021 assassination, with the force also targeting arms smuggling and gang financing.