Chad has announced plans to deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti as part of a United Nations-backed security force aimed at curbing the rampant gang violence plaguing the Caribbean nation. The announcement came in a letter addressed to the country’s parliament by President Mahamat Déby Itno.
According to the letter, which was read to lawmakers on Monday, two battalions—each consisting of 750 soldiers—will begin deployment this month for a one-year mission. The deployment follows a formal request from the United Nations.
The president highlighted the country’s commitment to the mission, stating, «A contingent of 400 troops has already been dispatched to Haiti as part of this initiative, reflecting Chad’s dedication to international peacekeeping and the security of its armed forces.»
The UN Security Council last year approved an expansion of the multinational force in Haiti, led by Kenya, increasing its size to 5,500 personnel. The mandate was also broadened to include the authority to arrest suspected gang members, a power the previous force lacked.
The initial mission, launched in 2023, was originally planned to include 2,500 personnel under Kenyan police leadership. However, logistical challenges and funding shortages hindered its progress.
Gang violence has reached alarming levels in Haiti, with armed groups controlling up to 90% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, as well as large swathes of the central region. The situation escalated dramatically in 2021 when armed assailants assassinated former President Jovenel Moïse at his private residence.
Human rights organizations report that at least 30 individuals were killed and numerous others went missing following a recent attack by the Gran Grif gang on the town of Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite in central Haiti.