An estimated 90% of the capital Port-au-Prince is now under control of criminal groups who are expanding attacks into previously peaceful areas, a U.N. official said.

Haiti's criminal gangs have exerted "near-total control" over the capital, as escalating violence pushes the Caribbean nation "closer to the brink," senior U.N. officials warned Wednesday.

The Dominican Republic's minister of foreign affairs is warning that time “has run out” and Haiti faces a possible total collapse if immediate intervention does not occur.