UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is alarmed by the escalating violence in Haiti, where armed gangs are reported to be gaining ground in the capital Port-au-Prince, his spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Guterres strongly supports efforts by the Haitian National Police, with the backing of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to address the mounting violence, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said in a statement.

The secretary-general reiterates his pressing call to ensure that the MSS mission receives the financial and logistical support it needs to successfully implement its mandate. He also emphasizes the importance of urgent progress in the political transition.

Ulrika Richardson, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, warned earlier this month that the situation in Haiti is very critical, especially in the capital. Many neighbourhoods there are completely under the control of gangs who impose brutal violence, rape women and recruit children into their ranks, and that is extremely worrying.

Nearly 4,900 people have been killed in Haiti between January and September this year largely due to the persistent violence across the country, according to the UN Human Rights Office. More than 700,000 people are displaced internally, over half of whom are children. In Port-au-Prince, the deteriorating violence has displaced 12,000 people in recent weeks.