Central American Troops Descend On Haiti To Quash Chaos
In a significant boost to Haiti's efforts to combat escalating gang violence, approximately 150 military police officers from Central America have been deployed to aid the beleaguered Caribbean nation. This development marks a crucial step in the international community's ongoing efforts to restore stability and order in Haiti, where daily life has been severely disrupted by criminal gangs, AP reports.
The recent deployment included around 75 security officers from Guatemala, who arrived on Saturday at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. They were welcomed by Godfrey Otunge, the Kenyan commander of the U.N.-backed mission tasked with stabilizing the country. The mission, struggling for months amid worsening conditions, sees this reinforcement as a pivotal moment in their operations.
"The gangs have only two choices: surrender, lay down their weapons, and face justice, or face us in the field," said Otunge at an airport ceremony in Port-au-Prince. "With the addition of the Guatemalan and El Salvador forces, the gangs will have nowhere to hide. We will root them out of their enclave."