The “urgent” deployment in Haiti of a multinational force made up of “police” and “military” to deal with the armed gangs that plague the country was requested by the head of the United Nations, after the recent gang attack in Port-au- prince, which forced hundreds of residents to leave their homes one after another to escape.

“I continue to call on member states to develop a non-UN multinational force consisting of special police forces supported by military units, to be deployed by one or more countries” to “cooperate with the Haitian government” with the approval of the Security Council, Antonio Guterres said in a 12-page letter dated Monday, August 14, but not made public.

Read about: Haiti: Terror in Port-au-Prince from a gang attack – Thousands of residents fled their homes (video – photos)

Resolving the security crisis in Haiti “requires taking a set of coercive measures to enforce the law, including effective recourse to the use of force in targeted police operations against heavily armed gangs,” the UN Secretary-General explained.

Since last October, Mr Guterres and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henri have repeatedly called for an international intervention force to be sent to support the police. Gangs control about 80% of the Haitian capital, and violent crime – murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom – is a daily occurrence.

In late July, Kenya announced it was ready to take the lead of a multinational force and deploy 1,000 police officers to train and assist Haitian police to “restore order” to the country and “protect facilities of strategic importance.”

A proposal that should nevertheless secure a green light from the Security Council, although the international armed force will not act under the UN flag.

After Kenya’s announcement, the US, which holds the SA presidency in August, promised to make resources available and to submit a draft resolution “in the near future” together with Ecuador.

In his letter, Mr. Guterres praised the initiative taken by Nairobi to form this force, which Haiti needs “urgently,” and the support of countries in the region, such as the Bahamas, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda.

“We hope that other countries will also come forward (…) and that the Security Council will proceed following the recommendations of the Secretary General,” Farhan Haq’s deputy spokesman insisted yesterday Wednesday.

Haiti remains mired in a multidimensional crisis, humanitarian, economic and political. Elections have been held in the country since 2016.