Haiti: Elections on hold as gangs adapt to security crackdown, Security Council hears

Armed groups in Haiti are adapting to intensified security operations, stepping up reprisals against civilians and extending their reach into rural areas, the UN warned the Security Council on Monday.The briefing came two weeks after presidential and legislative elections planned for 13 December were postponed indefinitely, with the UN’s top official in the country cautioning against setting new dates without a realistic assessment of whether a vote can be held.Key points1,123 Haitians were killed and 440 injured in gang-related violence between July and early OctoberSexual violence remains widespread, with 689 women and girls reportedly raped by gang members in July and August The Security Council-authorised Gang Suppression Force is not yet fully deployedChanging tacticsIn Haiti, security forces are intensifying their operations, but the gangs are not giving up. They are adapting their tactics, increasing reprisals against civilians and spreading violence to rural areas, according to the Secretary-General’s latest report.“What is particularly worrying is the gangs’ ability to adapt their tactics as security operations intensify,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN’s top official in...