Haiti's child death toll mounts as security mission lags

14/8/2024 7:31

        At least five Haitian children have been killed or injured a week so far in 2024, charity Save the Children said on Tuesday, urging the United Nations and security forces to do more to protect kids from crossfire and gang violence.
        
        Haiti in 2022 called for a security mission to help its under-resourced police fight violent gangs that have taken over most of the capital, bringing indiscriminate killings, gang rape, extortion and recruiting minors into their ranks.
        
        But progress has been slow and so far just 400 Kenyan police mandated to lead a U.N-ratified mission have deployed in Haiti, while countries have lagged in delivering on promises of funds, personnel and armored trucks.
        
        Citing U.N. data, Save the Children said at least 131 children were killed or injured in the first six months of 2024, often due to stray bullets or reprisals for supporting rival gangs or police, and said the true numbers were likely much higher.