In a briefing, Maria Salvador, head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, told the UN Security Council that despite its efforts to restore order to the country, the number of displaced Haitians had rapidly increased since her previous briefing in July. "The security situation remains extremely fragile, with renewed peaks of acute violence," she said, adding that "the situation has regrettably worsened."
Salvador revealed that internally displaced Haitians have climbed by 22 percent in the last three months. In that time period, the UN deployed Kenyan-led forces to aid Haitian police in combatting gang violence, but Salvador said the number of troops deployed had not made much of an impact. She called for the deployment of additional forces.
The Viv Ansanm alliance of well-armed gangs has expanded gang violence across the country, with murders, kidnappings, and brutal sexual violence being reported. Gang violence was predominantly concentrated in Haiti's capital city before the violence expanded.
On Oct. 3, gangs launched a surprise attack on the town of Port Sonde, killing at least 115 people including women and infants. The gang members had arrived by canoe. Officials believe the gangs targeted Port Sonde because its residents had been helping a gang opposition group called "The Coalition." Salvador described the killings as unacceptable and called on the UN to send more resources.
In addition to the unprecedented violence, an estimated 5 million individuals in Haiti are experiencing hunger, and thousands are at risk of famine.
