Haiti gang violence death toll

The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated further as clashes between rival gangs in Port-au-Prince have claimed at least 78 lives this week.

The United Nations reports that the violence is concentrated in the suburbs, where residents are trapped by heavy gunfire and burning barricades.

Local hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed by the influx of wounded civilians, while international aid organizations have been forced to suspend critical operations.

The escalation comes as the transitional government struggles to establish order ahead of a planned international security mission.