United States Highlights Shipment of Over 600 Tons of Equipment to Combat Haitian Gangs

The United States announced on Friday the airlift of more than 600 tons of essential equipment from Bangladesh to bolster the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti. This international operation, supported by Germany, aims to enhance the response capacity against armed groups operating in the Caribbean nation.

Juan Pablo Segura, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, publicly expressed gratitude to the German government for its contributions to the global mission, as stated in a message on his official X account.

"We appreciate the German government's generous contributions to the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti," Segura remarked.

Segura elaborated that the air bridge to transport over 600 tons of critical equipment from Bangladesh is intended to fortify security operations and aid joint efforts to restore stability in Haiti.

Germany's support is part of efforts to overcome transportation challenges that have delayed the deployment of personnel and materials from various countries to Haiti.

On October 19, Daniela Kroslak, the UN Under-Secretary-General and head of the UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), confirmed to the Security Council that Germany and Belgium had contributed to strategic air transport operations to facilitate the mission's deployment.

Kroslak also expressed gratitude to the United States for its cooperation in mobilizing personnel and to the Dominican Republic for its support in facilitating logistical operations.

Kroslak noted that the United Nations had managed to reduce costs by coordinating international flights, including utilizing available capacity on aircraft used to transport personnel from Asia to Port-au-Prince. She provided an example of a coordinated operation to transfer an advance group from Bangladesh via a stopover in Sri Lanka, which saved over a million dollars on an additional charter flight.

Bangladesh's involvement is especially crucial for the expansion of the Gang Suppression Force.

Expansion and Challenges of the Gang Suppression Force

On October 15, an initial group of 50 Bangladeshi soldiers departed for Haiti to prepare for the arrival of new contingents and coordinate operational and logistical needs. This deployment is part of an announced contribution of approximately 1,600 military and police personnel from Bangladesh, organized in stages.

During her briefing to the Security Council, Kroslak reported that the international force had roughly doubled its deployed personnel since July, when it included just over 1,000 troops. The expansion includes new contingents from Bangladesh, Chad, Guatemala, and Sri Lanka, among other international contributions.

The Gang Suppression Force was authorized by the UN Security Council on September 30, 2025, through Resolution 2793, to replace the prior Multinational Security Support Mission led by Kenya. The new mission was granted a broader mandate to collaborate with the Haitian National Police and the country's armed forces, combat criminal groups, protect strategic infrastructure, and facilitate humanitarian aid access.

The authorized design envisions a force of up to 5,550 members, though its deployment has progressed gradually and still faces challenges related to personnel, equipment, and funding.

International Efforts to Stabilize Haiti

On September 29, 2026, the Security Council approved Resolution 2829, extending the force's mandate for an additional six months until March 31, 2027. The UN has also confirmed the expansion of international operations beyond Port-au-Prince. In August, the deployment of personnel and equipment began in the Artibonite department, one of the areas affected by armed groups.

To support this expansion, the United Nations is working on developing eight operational and logistical bases, including Camp Vertières, identified as the main operations and supply center for the force.

The need to strengthen security resources coincides with a surge of violence that has also affected members of international missions. On October 24, it was reported that El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, had ordered elite troops to Haiti to locate four missing Salvadoran soldiers following an attack attributed to gangs.

The troops were conducting aeronautical support and medical evacuation missions within the international force when they were attacked near Port-au-Prince, according to reports on the incident. The disappearance prompted a new mobilization of Salvadoran resources and declarations from Bukele against the criminal organizations responsible for the violence.

On Thursday, Bukele released a message to the Haitian people, assuring them that the deployment of his forces was not an invasion and promising to intensify operations against the gangs. The Salvadoran president defended the intervention as part of international efforts to restore security and stated that his military would return home once the mission concluded.

Meanwhile, the United States has reiterated its support for Haiti's stabilization and the strengthening of security institutions throughout 2026. In April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, expressing U.S. support for security efforts and preparations for elections. In that meeting, Rubio emphasized the importance of the Gang Suppression Force deployment and international cooperation in recovering the country's stability.