Haiti gang violence kills over 2,300 this year, UN reports

Key facts

• At least 2,300 people have been killed by gang violence in Haiti this year.
• Nearly 100 people have been kidnapped since the start of the year.
• UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged Haitian authorities to address impunity.
• A UN-approved Gang Suppression Force is being deployed to Haiti.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Haiti to meet victims of violence.

Haiti is grappling with escalating gang violence, which has resulted in at least 2,300 deaths and nearly 100 kidnappings this year, according to UN human rights chief Volker Türk. In a global update, Türk urged Haitian authorities to swiftly address the rampant impunity and ensure that the newly approved UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) operates in line with international human rights law. The GSF is set to gradually replace the previous Multinational Mission to Support the Haitian Police (MMAS), with an initial deployment plan approved by the UN Security Council, which authorised a ceiling of 5,500 troops and police officers. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to visit Haiti to express solidarity with victims of the violence.