Chad to send 1500 troops to haiti under un mission against gang violence

The Republic of Chad is set to deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti as part of a United Nations-backed security force aimed at curbing gang violence in the Caribbean nation. This announcement was made in an official letter addressed to the national parliament by President Mahamat Déby Itno.

In a parliamentary session held on Monday, the Chadian head of state detailed that two battalions, each consisting of 750 soldiers, will be stationed in Haiti starting this month. The deployment, which spans a one-year commitment, was requested by the United Nations to strengthen security efforts in the crisis-stricken country.

«A contingent of 400 soldiers has already been dispatched to Haiti as part of this mission, which reflects the Chadian government’s commitment to global peacekeeping and the protection of vulnerable populations,» President Mahamat Déby Itno stated.

Last year, the United Nations Security Council approved an expansion of the multinational force—led by Kenya—deployed in Haiti, increasing its strength to 5,500 personnel. The mandate was also broadened to include the arrest of suspected gang members, a power not previously granted to the initial mission.

The previous initiative, launched in 2023 with an expected force of 2,500 members under Kenyan police leadership, faced significant challenges due to insufficient personnel and financial constraints. Currently, violent gangs control approximately 90% of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, as well as large portions of the central region. In 2021, armed assailants assassinated former President Jovenel Moïse in his private residence.

Recent clashes involving the Gran Grif gang in Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite, central Haiti, have resulted in at least 30 fatalities and numerous disappearances, according to human rights organizations reporting on the escalating crisis.