The Canadian government said Sunday it deployed a military aircraft over Haiti to deal with what it called an “extreme security situation” and to support efforts to disrupt Haitian gang activities.
Canada said in a statement that it supports the Haitian National Police and deployed a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft in response to Haiti’s request for support as violence continues to escalate in the country.
Haitian gangs have expanded their territory since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The resulting violence has left much of the country off-limits to government and led to routine shootouts with police. Haiti is expected to be on the agenda for U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Canada next month.
The Canadian patrol aircraft will provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to bolster efforts to establish and maintain peace, and will remain in the region “for several days,” according to the Canadian government.
In October, the UN suggested sending a “rapid action force” to Haiti to combat escalating violence by armed gangs, whose turf struggles have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
But many have expressed skepticism, citing abuses from previous missions and questioning whether a force is backing Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s government, which has been without democratically elected representatives since early January.
Most countries have been reluctant to send troops, though nearby Jamaica said it would be willing to participate and El Salvador offered “technical assistance.”
About seven in ten Haitians support the proposal to create an international force to help the national police combat violence by armed gangs, according to a January poll.
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