US State Secretary Marco Rubio says the US has no intention to punish humanitarian-aid groups that are forced to pay gang-enforced tolls in Haiti.

Earlier this month, the US designated Haiti’s major gangs as foreign and global terrorists, and warned that those providing “material support” risk being penalized and criminally charged.

Mr Rubio expressed concern that humanitarian groups had to pay “tolls” in order to distribute aid, adding that groups cannot be penalised for this.

He added that the sanctions are not meant to disrupt help to the country.