Canada has approved the deployment of a few dozen armed force members to Jamaica to train CARICOM troops for deployment to help restore order in Haiti.

Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) is reporting that 70 Canadian soldiers were deployed on Friday at the request of the Jamaican Government.

A news release from the Canadian DND says over the month-long assignment CARICOM troops will, in turn, help bolster the Haitian National Police, as part of a United Nations-authorised mission to restore security in the country.

The Canadian personnel, who will train soldiers in skills such as combat first aid and peacekeeping, are drawn primarily from the 1st Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment from Valcartier, Que, while the CARICOM troops come are from Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas.

Gangs in Haiti have overwhelmed local police forces and taken control of key infrastructure in the nation, triggering a violent turf war that has led to the collapse of the law and order.

In January, the Canadian Armed Forces led training courses for nearly 300 defence personnel from Jamaica, Belize, and The Bahamas.