Blinken arrives in Haiti to show US support for fighting gang violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Haiti to reaffirm the government’s commitment to a multinational mission deployed to fight gangs in the Caribbean country and push for the organization of long-awaited general elections. Thursday’s arrival of the top U.S. diplomat comes as a contingent of some 400 Kenyan police lead a U.N.-backed mission to quell gang violence in Haiti’s capital and beyond amid concerns of insufficient funding and equipment. Blinken said the mission needs more funding and personnel, and that a peacekeeping operation is one option to making the mission more sustainable.