Dominican Republic adds border troops ahead of UN Haiti exit

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is sending 1,000 more soldiers to its border with Haiti to prepare for any fallout from the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping troops from its neighbour.

Armed Forces Minister Ruben Paulino says the new troops will join 1,500 soldiers regularly stationed along the border. He made the announcement Tuesday.

Paulino says the troops are intended to protect against any increase in the smuggling of drugs or weapons as well as a potential rise in illegal immigration in the event of increased instability following the scheduled pullout of nearly 2,400 UN troops from Haiti in October.

The countries share a 350-kilometre (215-mile) border on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

The UN force has been in Haiti since the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004.