UN warns of more Haitian children in crossfire as gang recruitment grows

15/10/2025 7:16

Haitian gangs' growing recruitment of children means it is inevitable minors will be caught in the crossfire, a U.N. official said on Tuesday, vowing to train armed personnel who deploy to fight those gangs as part of a newly mandated force.



There has been an increase in gang recruitment of minors this year, with children as young as 10 joining, and they likely represent up to half of all gang members, Roberto Benes, UNICEF regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, told a press briefing.



The conflict between heavily armed Haitian gangs - now largely grouped behind a single alliance - and security forces has escalated for years.



The U.N. Security Council in 2023 mandated a Kenyan-led force to help police restore order, but the under-supplied and under-manned force struggled to hold back gangs' advances. Last month, the Council voted to restructure the force.