The visit comes amid mounting concern over deteriorating conditions in Haiti, where U.N. figures show that more than 2,300 people have been killed this year, around 100 have been kidnapped and approximately 1.5 million people have been displaced by violence.

Among those recently abducted was James Boyard, cabinet director at Haiti’s Defense Ministry, who was kidnapped last week in an area of the capital previously regarded as relatively secure.

Security Crisis Continues to Worsen

Guterres arrived in Port-au-Prince days after a deadly outbreak of violence in the seaside district of Cité Soleil. The Cooperative for Peace and Development, a local human rights organization, reported that more than 30 people were killed, injured or remain missing following clashes there over the weekend.

Traveling through sections of the capital, the U.N. chief passed neighborhoods marked by extensive destruction, including abandoned homes, damaged commercial buildings and structures scarred by gunfire.

Public frustration with armed groups was evident in graffiti visible along parts of the route. One message denounced Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang coalition that U.S. authorities have designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The federation is estimated to control roughly 70% of Port-au-Prince.

The violence has fueled unprecedented displacement across the capital. The U.N. International Organization for Migration reported that more than 300,000 people have been forced from their homes in Port-au-Prince alone, including over 18,000 residents who fled Cité Soleil during May.

Gregoire Goodstein, the organization’s chief of mission in Haiti, recently warned that the country’s displacement emergency is entering an increasingly alarming stage.

International Force Nears Operational Launch

One of Guterres’ first stops was the headquarters of a new multinational force approved by the U.N. Security Council in September.

The force is intended to support Haiti’s National Police in confronting heavily armed gangs and will replace a previous U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that struggled with staffing and funding shortages.

According to officials, personnel from Jamaica, Chad, El Salvador and Guatemala have joined the mission, bringing troop numbers to fewer than 1,000 so far. Operations are expected to begin within the coming weeks.

The international force is expected to work alongside Haiti’s police and armed forces as authorities attempt to regain control of territory dominated by criminal groups.

Hundreds of Haitians seeking to join the country’s expanding security institutions gathered near recruitment centers during Guterres’ visit.

Political Transition Faces Pressure

The U.N. secretary-general also met privately with Prime Minister Alix Didier-Fils-Aimé, whose transitional administration faces growing pressure to restore stability and organize national elections.

Haiti has not had an elected president since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his private residence in July 2021, leaving the country in prolonged political uncertainty.

Following the meeting, Fils-Aimé said discussions focused on Haiti’s current challenges and the government’s plans for the future. He described security as the central requirement for holding elections and restoring constitutional governance.

The prime minister also said international partners supporting the new security mission must fulfill their commitments to ensure the operation’s effectiveness.

Displaced Families Describe Harsh Conditions

Guterres later visited a temporary shelter established in a former school, where displaced families have been living after being forced from their communities by gang attacks.

Some residents told the U.N. chief they had spent years in overcrowded conditions after fleeing neighborhoods that were burned or overrun by armed groups.

Clifford Lala, a 31-year-old resident, said he did not believe it was yet safe to return to Solino, once considered one of the final neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince resisting gang control.

Inside the shelter, women described severe shortages of privacy and basic services. Residents said more than 1,200 people share limited facilities, while only one meal per day is guaranteed.

Guterres told those gathered that the United Nations would continue efforts to assist them.

Outside the facility, some residents demanded the opportunity to return safely to their homes. Wendy Cejour, who said his family has lived at the shelter for more than a year, expressed hope that conditions would eventually improve despite ongoing hardship.

Calls for Greater International Action

Ahead of the visit, Human Rights Watch published a letter urging the United Nations to strengthen protection efforts for civilians and address the underlying causes of violence and human rights abuses in Haiti.

At the conclusion of his visit, Guterres said the suffering he witnessed left a lasting impression.

He noted that daily life for many Haitians has become a struggle for survival and emphasized that women and children continue to bear a disproportionate share of the crisis.

As the new international force prepares to begin operations, Haiti’s authorities and international partners face increasing pressure to restore security and create conditions for political stability in a country confronting one of the region’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.

Tags: Haiti, United Nations, António Guterres, Gang Violence, Port-au-Prince, Humanitarian Crisis, Security Force, Caribbean

The post UN Chief Visits Haiti as New International Security Force Prepares Deployment appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The move follows a decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorize military support for police operations targeting gang violence and illegal mining networks, which authorities say have increasingly undermined public safety and economic stability.

Security forces entered several neighborhoods, including Riverlea and Westbury, where armored vehicles and soldiers moved through residential streets and apartment complexes. The deployment marks the first large-scale military presence in the city since Ramaphosa announced in February that organized crime posed one of the most serious threats to the country’s democracy and development.

Security Crackdown Targets Organized Crime Networks

The operation is expected to involve approximately 550 soldiers in Gauteng, the country’s economic hub and home to Johannesburg. The troops are operating under the command of the South African Police Service, according to details submitted to parliament.

Authorities say the deployment will focus on dismantling organized criminal groups responsible for illegal mining operations and persistent gang violence in urban communities.

Reporting from The Associated Press indicates that the military support had originally been scheduled to begin on March 1 but was delayed while troops underwent operational preparation.

Residents in the affected communities described frequent shootings and gang activity that have created a climate of fear. Some said the visible presence of soldiers offered reassurance that authorities were taking stronger steps to restore security.

Wider National Operation Planned

The Johannesburg deployment represents only the first phase of a broader national plan. Government officials say additional military support may extend to five of South Africa’s nine provinces.

Authorities plan to concentrate anti-illegal mining operations in North West Province and Free State, while gang violence will remain a priority in Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

Police officials told lawmakers that certain deployments could extend for more than a year depending on operational needs.

The government has increasingly linked organized crime with economic disruption, particularly in the mining sector where illegal extraction networks have grown in recent years.

Rising Crime Rates Intensify Political Pressure

South Africa continues to grapple with some of the highest violent crime rates globally. Police statistics show 6,351 homicides between October and December 2025 — averaging nearly 70 killings per day in a country of about 62 million people.

The scale of violence has fueled mounting pressure on authorities to deliver stronger security measures, particularly in urban areas where gang activity and armed robberies remain common.

Political debate has intensified around the role of the military in domestic security. While many residents and local officials have welcomed the intervention, some opposition parties argue that relying on the army highlights shortcomings within the national policing system.

Historical Sensitivities Surround Military Deployment

The use of soldiers in civilian areas carries historical sensitivity in South Africa. During the apartheid era, military forces were often deployed to suppress protests and maintain strict racial segregation.

That legacy has made modern governments cautious about domestic deployments.

Ramaphosa acknowledged those concerns in remarks delivered during his annual address to parliament, saying the decision to mobilize the military had been taken only after careful consideration.

However, the president argued that the scale of organized crime now threatens both community safety and the authority of the state, making stronger security intervention necessary.

South Africa has previously deployed troops internally, including during the 2021 South Africa unrest, when widespread riots and looting following the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma left more than 350 people dead.

Strategic Stakes for Government Stability

The current deployment reflects a broader challenge confronting South Africa’s leadership: restoring public confidence in state institutions while containing criminal networks that operate across provincial borders.

Analysts say the success or failure of the operation could influence both public trust in the government and the country’s economic outlook, particularly in sectors affected by illegal mining and organized violence.

With the first troops now on the streets of Johannesburg, authorities face the immediate task of stabilizing neighborhoods where residents say gunfire and gang activity have become part of daily life.

How long the military presence remains — and whether it reduces crime — may shape the next phase of South Africa’s security policy.

The post South Africa Deploys Army in Johannesburg as Government Intensifies Fight Against Organized Crime appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Jose Adolfo Macias, better known by his alias “Fito,” and long considered Ecuador’s most dangerous criminal, has been captured after a months-long manhunt that gripped the nation and exposed the full reach of cartel power inside the country’s institutions.

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa confirmed the arrest Wednesday, calling it a “key step” in restoring public order and dismantling the sprawling criminal networks that have plagued the country in recent years.

Who Is Fito?

Fito is the longtime leader of Los Choneros, one of Ecuador’s most powerful and violent drug gangs. Originally formed as a prison gang in the late 1990s, Los Choneros evolved into a dominant force in Ecuador’s underworld, building close ties with international cartels — including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels — and playing a major role in drug trafficking routes between South America and the United States and Europe.

Macias had been serving a 34-year sentence for homicide, drug trafficking, and organized crime, locked away in La Regional prison in Guayaquil, a city that has become a flashpoint in Ecuador’s escalating security crisis.

The Escape That Shook Ecuador

In January 2024, just days after President Noboa took office, Fito vanished from his prison cell. The escape, believed to have been facilitated by corrupt guards and inside help, triggered chaos across the country. Explosions, targeted assassinations, and violent prison riots erupted in multiple provinces. Armed gangs even stormed a TV station during a live broadcast — a chilling display of how emboldened criminal networks had become.

In response, Noboa took the unprecedented step of declaring an “internal armed conflict” and labeling Los Choneros and 21 other gangs as terrorist organizations, giving security forces expanded powers to confront them with military force.

The prison system, long known to be under the influence of drug lords like Fito, was placed under military control. Noboa vowed to regain control of the country and pledged sweeping reforms to root out corruption and fortify Ecuador’s crumbling justice system.

International Attention and U.S. Involvement

Fito’s escape and the subsequent violence didn’t go unnoticed abroad. In February 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Macias and Los Choneros under its drug kingpin statute, citing their role in large-scale narcotics trafficking and transnational violence.

Now that Fito is back in custody, Ecuador is pushing for his extradition to the United States, President Noboa said Wednesday. The request is pending approval from U.S. officials.

A Symbolic Victory — But the War Isn’t Over

While Fito’s capture is a high-profile win for Noboa’s administration, experts warn that it’s unlikely to bring an immediate end to the violence or dismantle the networks that made his escape possible.

Los Choneros and other criminal groups have become deeply entrenched, not only in drug trafficking but in extortion, illegal mining, and political intimidation. Violence in Ecuador has skyrocketed in recent years, with homicide rates now among the highest in Latin America.

Still, the arrest sends a powerful message at home and abroad — that the government is willing to confront organized crime head-on.

For many Ecuadorians, however, the memory of Fito walking free from prison — and the bloodshed that followed — is still raw. His return to custody is a start. Whether it marks a turning point remains to be seen.

Source: CNN – Drug kingpin ‘Fito,’ Ecuador’s most wanted man, has been captured, says Ecuador’s president

The post Ecuador Captures Most Wanted Drug Lord ‘Fito’ After Months on the Run appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Japan’s largest yakuza syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi, has made a significant pledge to end its long-standing feud with a rival faction. In an unprecedented move, three senior members of the Yamaguchi-gumi visited the Hyogo Prefectural Police headquarters on Monday, where they handed over a letter promising to halt all internal fighting and refrain from causing further “trouble,” according to authorities.

This announcement marks a potential shift in the violent history between the Yamaguchi-gumi and its rival group, the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. The two factions have been embroiled in a brutal conflict since 2015, when the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi splintered off from the Yamaguchi-gumi, leading to years of bloody clashes. The violence has often spilled into the streets of central and western Japan, leaving gang members gunned down or stabbed in dozens of incidents, putting immense pressure on law enforcement.

The Yamaguchi-gumi, one of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful criminal organizations, is facing increasing challenges, not just from rival gangs, but also from relentless crackdowns by authorities. In 2020, police officially designated the Yamaguchi-gumi and its breakaway faction as “gangs at war,” granting officers greater authority to surveil and restrict their activities. These measures include prohibiting the groups from using their offices and blocking their ability to raise funds.

Though the pledge to end the internal fighting comes from the Yamaguchi-gumi, it remains unclear how the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi will respond. Police are closely monitoring both factions to ensure the ceasefire holds, though it’s uncertain if this declaration will be one-sided.

The move reflects broader changes within Japan’s criminal underworld, where membership in traditional yakuza groups has been steadily declining. Official police data from 2024 shows that the number of yakuza members across Japan has dropped to 18,800, a record low, and below the 20,000 mark for the first time. In particular, the Yamaguchi-gumi’s membership has almost halved in the last decade, falling from 6,000 in 2014 to just 3,300 by the end of last year. Meanwhile, the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi reportedly had only 120 active members.

This decline in yakuza membership is being matched by a troubling rise in a new form of criminal activity—“tokuryu” gangs. These gangs, which operate outside the traditional yakuza structure, are often anonymous, consisting of individual criminals or ad hoc groups. Police investigations have linked tokuryu gangs to violent robberies in Tokyo and a growing number of fraudulent activities, including romance scams and investment fraud schemes on social media.

As the yakuza’s grip on organized crime weakens, authorities are grappling with the complexities of this evolving criminal landscape. While the Yamaguchi-gumi’s pledge to end its feud is a significant development, the growing presence of tokuryu gangs may pose an even greater challenge for law enforcement in the years to come.

Source: CNN – Japan’s biggest Yakuza crime group pledges to end decade-long gang war

The post Japan’s Largest Yakuza Group Promises to End Decade-Long Gang War appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

A Kenyan police officer serving in Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) was killed in a gang ambush, marking another tragic loss for the international force. The incident coincides with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s diplomatic tour of the Caribbean, where Haiti’s escalating security crisis is a primary concern.

The slain officer, Bénédict Kabiru, was initially reported missing following an ambush on two Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles on Tuesday in Pont-Sondé, a town in Haiti’s Artibonite region. The Kenya-led MSS confirmed his death, and Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council honored his sacrifice.

“This valiant police officer, engaged alongside Haitian forces to fight insecurity, made the ultimate sacrifice for a better future for our country. His bravery and commitment will never be forgotten,” the council said in a statement.

The ambush occurred while MSS and Haitian National Police officers were attempting to retrieve an armored vehicle that had become trapped in a ditch, possibly dug by gangs. During the operation, one of the MRAPs also got stuck while the other suffered mechanical issues. As officers worked to resolve the problem, armed gang members launched a sudden attack, leading to the officer’s death.

This marks the latest Kenyan casualty since the MSS arrived in Haiti in June. Just last month, another Kenyan officer was fatally wounded in an operation in the same region. The escalating violence has raised concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of the security mission.

Following the attack, videos allegedly showing the slain officer’s body circulated online. However, the authenticity of the footage has not been independently verified.

As the security crisis deepens, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is prioritizing Haiti in his Caribbean tour. On Wednesday, he is set to meet with Fritz Jean, president of Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council, in Jamaica. The discussions aim to bolster regional cooperation in addressing Haiti’s security and humanitarian challenges.

The U.S. remains a key financial backer of the MSS, which has struggled to contain Haiti’s rampant gang violence. The crisis is particularly dire in Port-au-Prince, where an estimated 80% of the capital is under gang control. As security forces attempt to reclaim urban areas, gangs have expanded their operations into rural regions, particularly Artibonite, a crucial agricultural hub.

The worsening violence has triggered mass displacement, with the United Nations reporting record levels of forced migration. According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, nearly 23,000 people were displaced within a single week in March.

Beyond displacement, the crisis has disrupted supply chains, exacerbating food insecurity. “Almost half of the entire population – that’s 5.5 million human beings – is going hungry, one of the highest proportions in any crisis around the world,” Dujarric noted.

In a particularly gruesome episode of violence, the UN reported that at least 70 people, including women and children, were massacred by the Gran Grif gang in the same Artibonite town where Officer Kabiru was killed.

As Haiti’s security crisis spirals, the international response faces mounting challenges. The death of another Kenyan officer underscores the risks MSS personnel face, while Rubio’s diplomatic engagements highlight the urgency of finding a sustainable solution. With gangs tightening their grip and the humanitarian situation deteriorating, the international community’s next moves will be crucial in determining Haiti’s future stability.

Source: CNN – Kenyan officer killed in Haiti after gang ambush, as Rubio visits Caribbean to discuss Haitian security crisis

The post Kenyan Officer Killed in Haiti as Gangs Escalate Attacks appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

On Friday, security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti to support a multinational mission aimed at tackling the country’s escalating gang violence, the Haitian National Police confirmed.

A formal greeting ceremony took place at the international airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, where high-ranking officials welcomed the 75 Guatemalan officers and eight Salvadoran officers. The welcoming delegation included Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council leader Leslie Voltaire, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, and the United States Ambassador to Haiti, Dennis Hankins.

The newly arrived troops are set to join the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, a U.S. and UN-backed initiative designed to work alongside Haitian police in efforts to restore security in the nation. The MSS mission was created in response to Haiti’s increasing gang violence, which has intensified since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. In addition to the gang violence, Haiti has been further weakened by natural disasters and a deepening hunger crisis.

Normil Rameau, Acting Director General of the Haitian National Police, emphasized that the success of the mission relies on cooperation between the police and the Haitian people. He stated that this collaboration remains the most effective means of restoring lasting peace and security.

The UN Security Council approved the MSS mission in 2023, following repeated calls for international aid from Haiti’s government. The United States pledged significant support, offering hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and resources.

Despite the mission’s formation, the deployment has faced significant hurdles. Although the MSS is led by hundreds of Kenyan police officers, their arrival was delayed multiple times, and they went months without pay. Despite their efforts, gang violence has persisted across Haiti, with notable incidents continuing into 2023.

In November, the U.S. civil aviation authority grounded flights to Haiti for weeks after bullets struck three U.S.-based airline jets flying over Port-au-Prince. A month earlier, gangs fired on U.S. Embassy vehicles, forcing the evacuation of 20 embassy staff members.

At Friday’s ceremony, Godfrey Otunge, Commander of the Kenyan forces within the MSS, welcomed the Guatemalan and Salvadoran officers, praising their commitment to the Haitian government. “We don’t take it for granted. We have a prime minister who is also our friend,” Otunge said, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in Haiti’s fight against gang violence.

Source

The post Guatemalan and Salvadoran Forces Arrive in Haiti to Combat Gang Violence appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.