Canadian military aiding embassy in Haiti includes elite unit: sources – National | 24CA News
Members of Canada’s elite particular forces unit are on the embassy in Haiti’s capital metropolis, Global News has realized.
Members of Joint Task Force 2, the highly-trained counterterrorism unit, have been getting ready to deploy for the previous two weeks as escalating gang violence in Haiti reached harmful ranges, sources have mentioned.
Some at the moment are on the Canadian embassy in Port-at-Prince, sources say.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) advised Global News Friday that army members are presently working with the Canadian embassy in Port-au-Prince to help with “contingency planning,” however didn’t supply additional particulars.
The company provides that the Department of National Defence (DND) is not going to communicate to particular numbers of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel in Haiti “for operational security reasons.”
Canadian particular forces have been deployed to Haiti earlier than, and to international locations like Afghanistan the place they helped evacuate embassy employees in 2021.
“The Government of Canada continues to monitor the deteriorating situation in Haiti and is exploring options to help Canadians in Haiti, working with partners and likeminded governments,” GAC says.
Haiti has been gripped for weeks by unrelenting gang assaults within the newest escalation of months of preventing, leaving it with dwindling provides of primary items. A state of emergency and nightly curfew was prolonged earlier this month as key state establishments had been attacked.
The federal authorities additionally suggested Canadians earlier this month that if they can’t shelter in place, they need to restrict actions and preserve a low profile when going outdoors.
According to GAC, there are presently 3,039 Canadians in Haiti registered with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service. It additionally mentioned their Emergency Watch and Response Centre has responded to 245 enquiries since March 3, largely in regard to normal journey info and the general safety scenario.
“Due to the lack of reliable supplies and the need to support an effective presence in a volatile situation, Canada has temporarily drawn down to essential employees at our embassy in Haiti,” GAC advised Global News Friday.
“Canada’s embassy will continue to support Canadians who remain in the country, as well as Haiti and the Haitian people,” it mentioned.
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