Over 1,500 people have been killed in Haiti this year from gang violence-- many of whom are children. While dozens of others have been lynched, stoned, or burned alive by armed "vigilante" gangs, the UN human rights office said on Thursday.
Violence in Haiti only continues to escalate as heavily armed rival gangs battle one another, launching a wave of new attacks, including raids on police stations and the country's international airport.
The escalating tensions follow Prime Minister Ariel Henry's resignation on March 11.
"All these practices are outrageous and must stop at once," the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement released alongside a UN report describing the "cataclysmic" situation in the Caribbean country.
4,451 killings were documented last year and 1,554 through March 22, reported US News.
"The recent escalation of violence has heightened human rights abuses, including killings, kidnappings, and rapes, especially against women and young girls," the report said in its conclusions, calling on states to support the rapid deployment of a UN-backed international security force.
The report called for better policing of cargoes to Haiti that might include smuggled arms, despite a UN embargo. "It is shocking that despite the horrific situation on the ground, arms keep still pouring in," said Turk.
Many have been killed in their homes in retaliation for their alleged support for the police or rival gangs, while others have been killed in the street by snipers or crossfire. The youngest victim on record is a three-month-old baby.
The younger generation is reportedly being recruited into gangs, using little boys as lookouts in kidnappings and robberies. Young girls are used to doing housework and acting as spies. Children who attempted to flee were executed.
