The government of Canada on Sunday (January 5) announced that it has deployed a military aircraft to monitor the “dire security situation” in Haiti given the continued deterioration in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member state.

In a statement, the Canadian government said in an effort to support the Haitian National Police, a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft has been deployed.

The Canadian patrol aircraft will provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to bolster efforts to establish and maintain peace and will remain in the region “for a number of days,” the Canadian government said.

Since the 2021 assassination of then President Jovenel Moïse, Haitian gangs have expanded their territory and the violence has left much of the country off-limits to the government and led to routine gun battles with police.

Last October, the United Nations suggested a “rapid action force” be sent to Haiti to combat escalating violence from armed gangs whose turf battles have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.

While most countries have been wary of sending troops, the government of Jamaica has said it would be willing to participate, and El Salvador has offered “technical assistance”.