The situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, despite some progress at the political level and the start of the deployment of a multinational police support mission, the UN said yesterday, expressing horror at the recent “barbaric” gang attack ravaging the country.

Since July, “the situation has unfortunately worsened”, Maria Isabel Salvador, the head of the UN mission in the small, impoverished Caribbean country, summarized before the Security Council.

He highlighted in particular the increase in the number of internally displaced people, which exceeded 700,000 in September, while he also referred to the political transition process that began in the spring and, “despite early progress”, now faces “major challenges, turning hope into deep concern” ».

“The security situation remains very fragile, with new outbreaks of extreme violence,” he added.

He particularly condemned the “horrendous and barbaric” gang attack on the community of Pont-Sotte, when “115 civilians were killed and dozens (of others) injured” on October 3, according to his latest account.

The UN official also cited a series of attacks in recent days in the capital Port-au-Prince and other areas, as well as cases of sexual violence of “unprecedented brutality” against women and girls.

“Haitians continue to suffer throughout the country, while the activities of criminal gangs intensify and spread beyond Port-au-Prince, spreading terror and fear, overwhelming the security apparatus,” he insisted. And “the humanitarian situation is even worse.”

In his most recent report, a few days ago, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the police, now supported by the Kenya-led Multinational Security Assistance Mission (MSMIS), began conducting “large-scale operations against of gangs” in some districts of the Haitian capital, but “is still unable to maintain control in these areas due to lack of personnel and resources”.

PAYA, whose mandate was renewed at the end of September for a year, currently has some 430 members, police and military, mostly Kenyans, with another 600 Kenyan police expected to arrive soon, but the force is still facing with a lack of “resources” that raises the “risk of preventing it from carrying out its duties well”, Maria Isabel Salvador emphasized.

The UN has expressed particular concern for children, as in addition to making up almost 50% of internally displaced people, they often fall into the hands of gangs.

“We estimate that children make up 30 to 50% of the members of armed organizations. They are used as informers, to cook, as sex slaves or sex slaves, and they are also forced to commit the same violent crimes with the use of weapons,” underlined the head of UNICEF, Kathryn Russell.

Child status does not necessarily protect against revenge by self-righteous militias: the UN Secretary-General’s report included reference to the case of a 10-year-old boy accused of being a gang informant who was murdered and his body burned by a group of armed civilians in July.