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Over 16,000 People Forced to Flee Haiti's Capital Due to Gang Violence

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The latest wave of gang violence has forced more than 16,000 people to flee a neighborhood in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, adding to the more than 130,000 people already displaced in the capital, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Thursday.
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"The latest wave of violence resulted in the forced displacement of more than 16,000 people in the Carrefour-Feuilles district of Port-au-Prince, adding to the more than 130,000 people who are already displaced in the Haitian capital," the UNFPA said in a situation report.
The displaced lack food, health care, sanitation, reproductive health and gender-based violence services. Women and girls, who suffer the most from violence in Port-au-Prince, are at risk of engaging in transactional sex work because they cannot provide for themselves and their families, the report added.
"Humanitarian access for service provision remains a challenge mostly in the areas under control of the gangs. Population movements continue to create humanitarian needs. There are high risks of epidemic outbreaks," the report read.
Haiti Enters State of Chaos Amid Gang-Related Violence, Kidnappings, UNICEF Says
Nearly one year ago, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry called on the international community to create a "specialized armed force" to ensure stability in the country, which has been mired in criminal gang violence and a deep social, humanitarian and political crisis.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said earlier this year that Kenya was prepared to send 1,000 police officers to train and assist the Haitian police in restoring normal life in the country and guarding strategic facilities. In late August, a delegation of Kenyan law enforcement officials visited Haiti to collect information about the mission's requirements.
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