Strikes carried out using explosive drones by Haitian security forces have killed more than 1,200 people, including at least 60 civilians, according to a report published Tuesday by Human Rights Watch.
The civilian victims include 43 adults and 17 children. The NGO indicates that these operations have intensified in recent months as part of the fight against gangs that control a large part of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
Since March of last year, Haitian security forces have been using quadcopter drones loaded with explosives to target criminal groups. These attacks often take place in densely populated neighborhoods, increasing the risk of civilian casualties.
According to Human Rights Watch, these operations are carried out with the support of Vectus Global, a US-based private military company headed by Erik Prince, founder of the security company Blackwater.
The organization asserts that no credible investigation has been opened into the civilian deaths linked to these strikes. It calls on Haitian authorities and their international partners to investigate these operations and guarantee the protection of civilians.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had already estimated last year that some of these strikes were "probably illegal" under international law.
Haitian authorities, the Ministry of Defense, the national police, the company Vectus Global, and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
