By Zoila Palma: At least 1,167 people were killed and another 459 injured in Haiti between July and September as armed gangs intensified attacks across the country, according to a quarterly report released Wednesday by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti.
The report found that gang members were responsible for more than 45 percent of those killed or injured during the period, while more than half of the casualties occurred during ground and aerial security operations targeting armed groups.
The report documented several deadly attacks in communities previously considered less affected by gang violence, UPI reports.
In Kenscoff, two attacks in July and August left at least 105 residents dead, including 19 children, with more than 36 people reportedly shot in the courtyard of a Protestant church. In Cité Soleil, gang members allegedly beheaded at least 19 people in early August, including 12 elderly women.
Kidnappings for ransom also increased significantly, with 137 cases recorded during the third quarter compared to 81 between April and June. Children accounted for approximately 10 percent of the victims. The United Nations also documented 344 victims of sexual violence committed by gang members, ranging in age from eight to 75, with gang rape accounting for 77 percent of the reported cases.
Children continued to face recruitment and involvement in armed groups, with at least 32 boys between the ages of 14 and 16, who had reportedly been recruited by a gang, killed during exchanges of gunfire with security forces in Gressier in August. The report also recorded 44 cases of extrajudicial executions and attempted extrajudicial executions involving Haitian police officers, compared to 14 cases in the previous quarter. Additionally, more than 16 percent of those affected during security operations were not associated with gangs, raising concerns about civilian protection.
The findings come as Haiti continues to depend on international assistance to confront armed groups and restore security.
The United Nations has urged the international community to accelerate the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force, strengthen efforts to prevent illegal arms trafficking and ensure that security operations comply with international human rights standards.
The post International News: More than 1,100 people killed in Haiti in 3 months, U.N. report finds appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: At least 1,167 people were killed and another 459 injured in Haiti between July and September as armed gangs intensified attacks across the country, according to a quarterly report released Wednesday by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. The report found that gang members were responsible for more than 45 percent
The post International News: More than 1,100 people killed in Haiti in 3 months, U.N. report finds appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.