US Plans Closer Coordination With Erik Prince-Linked Security Firm in Haiti Amid Drone Strike Concerns

U.S. security officials are preparing for closer coordination with Vectus Global, the private military company linked to Blackwater founder Erik Prince, as Haiti intensifies its campaign against powerful armed gangs. The move comes despite growing criticism from human rights groups over civilian deaths tied to drone strikes carried out by Haiti’s government-backed Task Force.

Speaking before Congress on Tuesday, Colonel Justin Gorkowski, a senior U.S. military adviser overseeing the U.N.-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), said Haiti’s Task Force has been a valuable partner. He confirmed that a Task Force officer will soon be embedded in the joint operations center, formalizing existing informal coordination between the GSF and Vectus Global.

Gorkowski said the partnership could expand as anti-gang operations progress, while emphasizing there is currently no operational overlap. The United States provides funding for both the GSF and the Haitian National Police.

Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over the drone campaign, estimating that 1,243 people were killed during 141 drone operations between March 2025 and January 2026. The organization said the casualties included 43 civilian adults and 17 children, with another 738 people injured, including dozens of civilians. It also reported that both the number of strikes and fatalities increased sharply between October and January.

A spokesperson for the GSF said it does not conduct joint operations with Haiti’s Task Force, explaining that its role is limited to coordinating security activities to avoid overlap and reduce risks. The U.S. State Department also said coordination through the joint operations center is intended to help prevent civilian casualties, while noting that Haiti alone decides the Task Force’s composition.

Gorkowski said he was unaware of verified civilian casualty figures but insisted his team works to minimize harm. He described the drone operations as increasingly precise and necessary to weaken heavily armed gangs.

Prince’s company was hired by Haiti as security conditions deteriorated despite the earlier Kenyan-led U.N.-backed mission, which failed to reach its planned troop strength. The new GSF aims to deploy 5,500 personnel by the fall, with forces from Chad, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, and Bangladesh expected to play key roles as Haiti’s security mission expands ahead of its mandate renewal in October.