Haiti anti-gang force gets Sri Lanka contingent

A Sri Lankan contingent has joined the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force in Haiti, a spokesperson for the force said, adding that the number of personnel was not being disclosed for operational security reasons.

The contingent arrived in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday night. The spokesperson said more reinforcements were expected in the coming weeks as the force expands its capabilities.

The force is meant to support the Haitian National Police against armed groups that control large parts of the capital and several major roads. It is also tasked with securing strategic infrastructure, helping restore public safety and creating conditions for elections.

The Gang Suppression Force was announced by the UN Security Council last year and is intended to gradually replace the Multinational Security Support mission. It could eventually comprise 5,500 uniformed personnel and 50 civilian staff, but so far has fewer than 1,000 personnel from Chad, Mongolia, Jamaica, Guatemala, El Salvador and now Sri Lanka.

Haiti has not held elections since 2016, mainly because of poor security. Its 2026 UN humanitarian aid plan, set at $880 million, is less than one-quarter funded.

Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon told a local radio station that an attack on the town, about 20 kilometres south of Port-au-Prince, caused several deaths and burned several homes.