WORLD NEWS | Haiti’s PM asks military to help fight gangs

PORT-au-Prince, March 18 (AP) — Prime Minister Ariel Henry said Friday he wants to mobilize the Haitian military to help the national police crack down on the country’s increasingly powerful gangs.

Appearing at the headquarters of the Haitian Armed Forces, Henry said he intends to mobilize all of the country’s security forces to combat gang violence.

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His comments came as Haitian and some U.N. officials continued to urge the international community to deploy foreign troops to help quell widespread violence.

“Our lives today are no joke,” Henry said.

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Jean Robenson Servilius, who works for the Haitian Defense Ministry’s press office, confirmed to The Associated Press that officials are working on plans to activate the military. The armed forces currently have about 2,000 soldiers and more are being recruited, he said, adding that they have been trained by experts from Argentina, Mexico and Colombia.

Robinson said he could not provide further details.

The Haitian army was disbanded in 1995 after being involved in numerous coups and accused of other political interference. The armed forces have returned to work since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2017 after the United Nations ended its peacekeeping operation in Haiti.

It has since played a limited role, including providing protection for Haiti’s prime minister.

“Are we ready to join hands with the police to fight insecurity?” Henry asked during a visit to Haiti’s military headquarters.

It’s unclear when the army will be activated, how many soldiers will be called up to the mission or what role they will play. But Henry said they needed their help.

“The Haiti we want, we can’t build it with gangs running rampant. They have to follow reason, or we’ll make them follow reason automatically,” he said.

The gang controls an estimated 60 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and has fought in recent months to gain control of more territory after Moïse was assassinated at his private home in July 2021 Hundreds of people were killed. Tens of thousands of Haitians have been displaced by ongoing violence that UN officials say has reached levels not seen in decades. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)