Violence is increasing in Haiti, armed gangs are getting stronger in the capital Port-au-Prince, UN Secretary General expressed concern.

United Nations, 20 November (IANS). United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the increasing violence in Haiti. Meanwhile, there are reports of armed gangs becoming stronger in Port-au-Prince, the capital of the South American country.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said Guterres on Tuesday strongly supported the efforts of the Haitian National Police, with the support of the Multinational Security Assistance (MSS) mission, to deal with the increasing violence.

The UN Secretary-General reiterated his call to ensure that financial and logistical support continues to be essential for the success of the MSS mission.

He also stressed the importance of immediate progress in political transition, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ulrika Richardson, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, warned earlier this month that the situation in Haiti was dire, especially in the capital. Many areas there are completely under the control of gangs who commit brutal violence, rape women and recruit children into their gangs, and this is extremely worrying.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, about 4,900 people have been killed in Haiti between January and September this year, largely due to the continuing violence across the country. More than 700,000 people are internally displaced in the country, more than half of whom are children. In Port-au-Prince, 12,000 people have been displaced in recent weeks due to increasing violence.

–IANS

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