Haitian Gangs Kill And Mutilate Soldiers And Armed Civilians As They Keep Gaining Ground

Haitian gangs killed soldiers and armed civilians as they keep gaining ground and the capital, Port-au-Prince, teeters on the brink of collapse.

Lionel Lazarre, spokesman for the Haitian National Police, told a local outlet that at least four soldiers and four armed civilians have died so far in the latest offensive.

The Associated Press cited social media videos showing gunmen mutilating dead bodies and picking up severed heads, claiming "we got the dogs."

The Haitian transitional presidential council and the prime minister's office condemned the attacks, with the latter saying that it reaffirmed that the "fight against insecurity remains its top priority."

The development comes as the situation in the country shows no signs of improving any time soon. Maria Isabel Salvador, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' special representative in Haiti, recently told the Security Council that the situation on the ground is increasingly critical as gangs move onto the few areas in Port-au-Prince that are not under their control.

"We are approaching a point of no return. As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs," Salvador said.

"Without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change... Haiti could face total chaos and any delay in your support could be a direct cause of such stark deterioration," she added.

However, the country's situation could become even more dire in the near future, as the Trump administration signaled willingness to cut aid.

"America cannot continue shouldering such a significant burden," said Dorothy Camille Shea, interim chargé d'affaires at the U.S. mission at the UN, requesting that other countries increase their support for the Caribbean country.