More than 600 people were killed in April alone in "a new wave of extreme violence" that hit several neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, warned the UN on Tuesday, which calls for the urgent deployment of a support force.

"At least 846 people have already been killed in the first three months of 2023, with more than 393 people injured and 395 abducted during the period, a 28 percent increase in violence compared to the previous quarter," according to a statement from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

High Commissioner Volker Türk denounces "an endless cycle of violence in Haiti". "The human rights emergency calls for a strong and urgent response," he said Tuesday.

In a quarterly report (January to March) released Tuesday, the UN points out that violence in Haiti is not only becoming more extreme and frequent, but is spreading inexorably as gangs seek to expand their control.

Areas of the capital previously considered safe, including Kenscoff and Pétion Ville, as well as the Artibonite department, are now affected.

Kidnappings (at least 395 in the first quarter of 2023) are up 12% compared to the previous quarter, and sexual violence continues to be used as a weapon by gangs to impose themselves through terror and make the population suffer.

Emergence of "vigilance brigades"

Among other modus operandi used by gangs, the report identifies incidents in which snipers fired indiscriminately at bystanders or homes. People were also burned alive on public transport.

The report also highlights the emergence of self-defence groups, called "vigilance brigades", following calls by some politicians and journalists for citizens to organise themselves to combat gang violence.

These groups are behind mob lynchings and resulted in the deaths of at least 75 people, including 66 gang members, in the first quarter, according to the report.

During his first official visit to Haiti in February, Mr. Türk encouraged the international community to support the strengthening of Haiti's National Police and to urgently deploy a support force for a limited period of time.

"I reiterate my call on the international community to deploy a specialized, human rights-respecting and time-bound support force, with a comprehensive action plan to assist Haitian institutions," the High Commissioner said Tuesday.

"The state has an obligation to protect its citizens. The public should be able to rely on police and judicial authorities to tackle gang violence. But the reality is that the state does not have the capacity to react. So the people are doing justice to themselves, but this will only fuel the spiral of violence," he warned.

With AFP

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