UN deputy urges countries to consider armed force for Haiti

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. deputy secretary-general is urging every country “with capacity” to urgently consider the Haitian government’s request for an international armed force to help restore security and alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation. Amina Mohammed told the U.N. Security Council that Haiti is in “a deepening crisis of unprecedented scale and complexity that is cause for serious alarm.” She also reiterated Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for international support for the beleaguered Haitian National Police. Mohammed said “insecurity has reached unprecedented levels” and that armed gangs are using killings and gang rapes to terrorize and subjugate people.