Overview
- The United Nations Security Council voted Tuesday to extend the Gang Suppression Force mandate until March 31, 2027.
- The force is operating at roughly 1,500 personnel, about 30% of its planned 5,500 strength, and U.S. officials said the remaining troops are expected to arrive in the coming months.
- China, Russia and Pakistan abstained from the vote, with their representatives citing concerns about insufficient funding, staffing and the mission’s ability to carry out its tasks.
- The extension follows fresh violence in Haiti, including an attack that local officials said killed at least 11 people in the Artibonite region in apparent retaliation for GSF operations, and comes as more than 1.5 million people have been displaced by gang fighting.
- The GSF replaced an earlier Kenya-led mission that withdrew after staffing and funding shortfalls, and analysts warn that unless the current gaps are closed the force may struggle to deliver the security needed to hold credible national elections on December 13.