Haiti's government said on Tuesday, November 3, that security operations against armed groups will continue and could be extended to other priority areas, insisting that “the Haitian state will not give up any territory,” Juno7 reported.

According to the statement, the National Police (PNH), the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) and the Gang Suppression Force are working together to neutralize armed groups, protect the population and restore state authority. Operations under way in Kenscoff and Gressier will continue, and an expansion is being considered for other parts of the West department, the Artibonite and the Centre, depending on operational priorities.

At a press briefing the same day, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said international cooperation cannot replace the leadership of the Haitian state, which remains responsible for the political and strategic direction of operations, Le Nouvelliste reported. The government said the gang force will be strengthened with help from the United Nations and partner countries.

The government cited more than 3,258 new police officers recruited in three graduating classes, ongoing purchases of armored vehicles and specialized equipment, and training for the police and the army. It pledged to respect the law and human rights and said operations target armed gangs, not civilians. It gave no timeline for the planned expansion.

The statement comes as police and the gang force carry out a joint operation in the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, and as El Salvador has sent more than 2,000 troops to Haiti, most of them outside the UN-backed force's mandate, according to the United Nations.