leader shown here in a white face covering, is behind many of the kidnappings. abducting haitians and foreign nationals, and typically demanding ransoms of about $20,000. the united nations, recently, extended its political mission in haiti. the country still raw from the assassination of its president, and a powerful earthquake earlier-this year. but some officials blame the rise of the armed gangs on a security vacuum left after u.n. peacekeepers ended their mission in haiti just two years ago. >> the united nations had a military component, a military force for over 14 years, spents over $14 billion and left in 2019. creating a -- a huge security void. basically, they trained the police and the police is under 16,000 police officers, and is not really equipped to fight off the type of gang activity, the type of gang warfare that is going on right now in haiti.