Chad has announced plans to deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti as part of a UN-backed security force, amid escalating gang violence in the Caribbean nation.
President Mahamat Idriss Déby disclosed the move, saying it is part of his country’s contribution to international efforts to restore order in Haiti.
“The state will contribute to this force with two battalions of 750 personnel each, for a total of 1,500 men,” President Deby said.
He stated that Chad frequently participated in international coalitions and peacekeeping endeavours, citing operations against the militant group Boko Haram.
Launched three years ago, the Gang Suppression force is a multinational security force that aims to help Haitian police tackle gangs.
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It replaced a previous multinational mission headed by Kenya, and seeks to increase numbers to 5,500 security personnel.
Haiti has been in the grips of gang violence for years, with the population facing killings, rapes and kidnappings.
Gangs control almost all of the capital Port-au-Prince, and have expanded their reach beyond the city over the course of the past year.
The violence has also worsened humanitarian conditions in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Americas.
Africanews