UN rights chief urges special forces deployment to Haiti

Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk called on Friday for the deployment of specialized armed forces to Haiti to help the Caribbean nation fight gang violence. 

Armed gangs control large swathes of territory in the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince. In October, the Haitian government asked for a "specialized armed force" to combat such groups. 

Türk made the appeal at the end of a two-day visit to Haiti, where violent gangs are creating what he said is a "living nightmare" for thousands of people.

What did the UN rights chief say?

"It is time for the international community to help the Haitian authorities regain full control so this suffering can be stopped," Türk said.

With multiple crises raging around the world, Türk said he feared that "the situation in Haiti is not receiving the urgent spotlight that it deserves." 

The UN human rights chief said the people of Haiti were being terrorized by armed gangs, and called for urgent support to Haiti's police to respond to the security situation. 

What is the situation in Haiti?

Since the 2021 assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise, gangs have expanded their control over Haitian territories. 

According to UN estimates, more than 60% of the Haitian capital is controlled by gangs.

Several police officers have been killed in clashes with suspected armed gang members, prompting riots by men in plain clothes who said they were police officers protesting the situation. 

Although Haiti's government requested intervention by UN troops, the international community has been largely hesitant. Such deployment is seen by many as a high-risk one that is likely to bring little success. 

fb/jcg (AP, Reuters)