With violence surging across Haiti, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Sunday that almost half of the gangs which control the vast majority of the capital are made up of children, and the recruitment of children has seen a 70% increase over the past year.
Haiti has suffered from decades of political instability, but in recent months, the Caribbean country has seen a surge in violence with gangs now controlling 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince.
“The unprecedented spike, registered between the second quarters of 2023 and 2024, points to a worsening protection crisis for children in the violence-plagued Caribbean Island,” UNICEF said in a statement.
“At present, up to half of all members in armed groups are children.”
Number of children recruited by violent gangs in Haiti up 70%, says UNICEF
Israeli strikes in Lebanon leave over 1,200 confirmed dead, says minister
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have resulted in over 1,200 fatalities, according to Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar. The ongoing conflict escalates tensions in the region,
Israel and US launch strikes against Iran ahead of EU energy talks
The US and Israel intensified military actions against Iran following President Trump’s ultimatum to “completely obliterate” Iranian energy sites unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens