Chad has announced plans to deploy 750 security personnel to Haiti as part of a United Nations-backed mission aimed at tackling escalating gang violence.

The deployment, confirmed by Chad’s foreign ministry, will see soldiers drawn from the police and gendarmerie join an international force supporting Haitian authorities.

Officials said the first contingent is expected to depart by the end of March, with deployments continuing through June.

The mission, approved by the United Nations, is part of efforts to strengthen security operations in Haiti, where criminal gangs have long destabilised the country.

The new force will replace the earlier multinational mission, largely composed of Kenyan police, and is expected to include up to 5,500 personnel.

According to UN figures, gang violence and security operations in Haiti have resulted in more than 5,500 deaths between March last year and mid-January, underscoring the urgency of international intervention.