GENEVA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Over 5,600 people lost their lives to gang violence in Haiti in 2024, marking a significant increase from the previous year, according to UN figures.

Gang-related killings in the Caribbean island country in 2024 rose by over 1,000 compared to 2023. Additionally, 2,212 people were injured, and 1,494 were kidnapped, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Haiti is plagued by rampant gang activity, with criminal organizations controlling most of the capital, Port-au-Prince. ■