"Between January and March 2024, at least 2,505 people were killed or injured as a result of gang-related violence," according to a quarterly report by the UN mission in Haiti (Binuh) published on Tuesday.

"This represents an increase of more than 53% compared to the previous period (October-December 2023), making the first three months of 2024 the most violent period since Binuh established its human rights monitoring mechanism in early 2022," it added.

In the first quarter, 1,660 people (1,347 men, 273 women and 40 children) were killed and 845 were injured (624 men, 179 women and 42 children), a spokesperson for the mission told AFP.

In the last quarter of 2023, Binuh had recorded 1,104 homicides and 532 injuries.

Not all of the homicides recorded concerned civilians. According to the report, 141 people were killed in the first quarter by "self-defense" groups that have been targeting alleged gang members since the spring of 2023.

Kidnappings for ransom, on the other hand, decreased by 37% nationwide, with at least 438 people abducted, the majority of them in the department of Artibonite, where gangs target travelers on public transport, the authorities detailed in the report.

Haiti has been plagued by poverty, natural disasters, political instability and worsening gang violence for decades.

Since late February, powerful Haitian gangs have joined forces to attack police stations, prisons, the airport and the seaport in an effort to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

He eventually stepped down on March 11 and a Transitional Presidential Council was set up last week, but the crisis is far from over.

Since the end of February, "more than 4,600 detainees escaped from the two main prisons in the capital, at least 22 police stations and sub-stations and other police buildings were looted or burned, and 19 police officers were killed or injured," the UN said.

Gangs have also continued to use sexual violence against residents of rival neighborhoods, the UN mission said in the report, denouncing in particular the gang rapes of young girls.

"Gang activities have severely limited access to essential services, including healthcare and education, and exacerbated food insecurity," lamented Helen La Lime, head of the UN mission, quoted in a statement in which she called for the rapid deployment of an international security mission to be led by Kenya.

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