Canada has sent a military plane to Haiti to help the country cope with escalating violence.

A joint statement on Sunday from National Defence Minister Anita Anand and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canada has deployed a CP-140 Aurora aircraft to help “disrupt the activities of gangs” in Haiti.

The Canadian government says the patrol aircraft will remain in Haiti  “for a number of days” to help with surveillance and intelligence efforts.

Gang violence has become a reality for those living in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince since last summer, with hundreds having reportedly been kidnapped and killed.

The UN has said that gangs are restricting access to necessities like health care and water and are also allegedly sexually

assaulting women and children.

The aircraft deployment comes in direct response to Haiti’s request for help and is the latest step the government has taken to assist Haiti, and not indicative of a military intervention.

Other support measures to date include levying sanctions against individuals it views as responsible for the violence in Haiti.

“The deployment of a Canadian patrol aircraft will strengthen efforts to fight criminal acts of violence and to establish the conditions necessary for a peaceful and prosperous future,” Anand said in Sunday’s statement.

Haiti is expected to be on the agenda when U.S. President Joe Biden visits Canada next month.