ILLEGAL weapons smuggled into Haiti are fuelling an increase in gang violence and leading to severe human rights abuses, according to a United Nations report released this week.

More than 4,200 people were killed from July to February, and another 1,356 were injured, the report found. 

It was issued after William O’Neill, the UN human rights commissioner’s expert on Haiti, recently visited the Caribbean nation.

The report stated that nearly 1,000 firearms belonging to Haiti's national police have been diverted in the past four years, and that credible sources have said officers are selling some weapons on the black market.

A police spokesperson did not immediately return a message requesting comment.

The report said gangs also obtain illegal weapons from private security companies that use them.

Overall, an estimated 270,000 to 500,000 illegal weapons are circulating across Haiti.

“The use of these firearms has fuelled a destructive cycle of violence in Haiti, leading to severe human rights abuses,” the report stated.

Detecting and seizing illegal weapons remains a challenge given what the report said was severe underfunding and understaffing at Haiti’s customs and police departments, as well as a lack of resources and technology coupled with corruption and lack of oversight.