The Gang Suppression Force now has more than 2,000 troops from six countries in Haiti, but its operations are held back by a serious shortage of equipment, its special representative, Jack Christofides, told the UN Security Council on Monday, October 19.

He listed shortfalls in transport, communications, vehicles, intelligence and surveillance. Clashes with gangs rose from two to 15 in one month, he said, and 18 of 26 suspects recently arrested were released because of problems in the justice system. Daniela Kroslak, head of the UN Support Office in Haiti, said troop numbers have doubled since July with units from Bangladesh, Chad, Guatemala and Sri Lanka.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, warned that announcing electoral dates without checking whether they are realistic weakens confidence in Haiti's institutions. He also said the process has advanced further than at any time in more than a decade, with more than 3,500 candidates and more than 35 political groups taking part since the October 6 decree. Any change to the calendar must rest on a realistic assessment of logistics and security, he said.

The meeting came a day after four Salvadoran soldiers went missing in an ambush. The UN secretary-general's spokesperson called for their immediate and safe release, and U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said he hoped the four men had survived.

Guatemala held a departure ceremony for another military police contingent bound for the force, without saying how many soldiers it includes.