In the latest international effort to bring peace to Haiti, the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday approved a larger gang-fighting force of police officers and soldiers from around the world to try to stop the killings, rapes and kidnappings committed by criminal groups.
The plan, proposed by the United States and Panama, would deploy to Haiti what officials described as a gang-suppression force of up to 5,500 soldiers and officers with the power to take more aggressive action against the gangs that have terrorized the country for years.
But it was unclear what countries were prepared to contribute personnel to the force or help pay for it.
The vote came two days before the expiration of the U.N. mandate for the current security deployment in Haiti, called the Multinational Security Support mission. It is largely composed of Kenyan police officers and is meant to provide a support role for the Haitian police. That mission, which consisted of fewer than 1,000 officers, was never fully staffed or funded, and has failed to quell the violence.
The new deployment, which will include the Kenyans, would increase in size fivefold and be allowed to undertake independent offensive operations against the gangs, officials said.
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