Guterres calls for deployment of int'l troops in Haiti amid crisis

United Nations, Oct 10 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the deployment of an international specialised armed force in Haiti to help address the humanitarian crisis, said his spokesman.

The Secretary-General remains gravely concerned about the situation in Haiti, which is facing a cholera outbreak amid a dramatic deterioration in security that has paralyzed the country, Xinhua news agency quoted spokesman Stephane Dujarric as saying in a statement.

As gangs controlled the strategically important Varreux fuel terminal in the capital of Port-au-Prince, critical services, including the distributions of potable water, food and medical supplies, are required to prevent the rapid spread of the disease, the statement said, noting that the priority is to save lives.

Guterres on Sunday submitted to the Security Council a letter with options for enhanced security support to Haiti, it added.

The UN chief calls on Haitian stakeholders to rise above their differences and to engage in a peaceful and inclusive dialogue as early as possible.

Since September, a group of powerful gangs have blocked the country's main Varreux fuel terminal, crippling its basic supplies like water and food.

Some hospitals have shut, while businesses and transport services stopped working in protest of destitution.

The Haitian government authorised Prime Minister Ariel Henry to request armed help due to "the risk of a major humanitarian crisis".

Civil unrest escalated since Henry announced an end to government fuel subsidies on September 11, which sent petrol and diesel prices skyrocketing.

Since then, protests and looting have intensified, with the capital, Port-au-Prince, at the heart of it.

Food aid warehouses have been targeted, with an estimated $5 million worth of food aid lost in repeated attacks, according to Haiti's UN envoy.