Anti-Gang Force launches first operations in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, Haiti.- The Gang Extermination Force (GSF), approved by the UN, has launched its first field operations in Haiti, encountering “fierce resistance” from armed gangs in the Artibonite department, over 100 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince, the mission reported Monday. No deaths or injuries were reported.

The operations aimed to clear the Petite-Rivière-Liancourt-Pont Sondé highway and involved collaboration with the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the Haitian Armed Forces (FAD’H). One operation on Friday lasted fifteen hours, during which gangs tried to fortify positions with trenches and occupied buildings, throwing Molotov cocktails. GSF and PNH units neutralized these efforts, ensuring safe passage for armored vehicles intended to reinforce local police stations in Pont Sondé, Petite-Rivière, and Liancourt.

In Port-au-Prince, joint patrols continued across key areas, including Kenscoff, the city center, the airport zone, and the National Police Academy, aiming to isolate criminal groups, protect critical infrastructure, and strengthen the operational capabilities of the National Police and Armed Forces.

The GSF replaces the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) and is backed by the Haitian government. The force will consist of up to 5,500 police or military personnel, supported by 50 civilians, with a 12-month initial mandate. The UN Security Council approved the deployment on September 30, co-sponsored by the United States and Panama, following limited results from the MSS.