Jan 22 (Reuters) – A U.N.-backed security force deployed to Haiti to help local police ‌fight ​off armed gangs that have taken over much of the ‌country should get more troops in April and reach full strength by summer, the U.N.’s special envoy for Haiti said ​on Thursday. The pledge of more troops comes at a time of growing political uncertainty in the Caribbean nation, with the current transitional government’s mandate set to end on February 7 without an official ‍succession plan. U.N. envoy Carlos Ruiz said the force should ​reach its full strength – envisioned at 5,500 troops – by the summer, or autumn at latest. He did not say where the troops would come from. Around 1,000 mostly Kenyan police are currently ​in Haiti as ⁠part of the force, a deployment that has been marked by delays and severe lack of funding. Since the first deployment in June 2024, gangs have expanded to much of central and rural Haiti. By comparison, there are an estimated 12,000 Haitian police and a similar number of …