Sweden is preparing to order its armed forces to fight gangsters in the country
The Swedish army may soon be called to help curb escalating gang violence, according to plans announced by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
During September only, 11 people were killed, including passers-by and a young woman was killed in an explosion that occurred last week.
The Swedish prime minister met on Friday with the National Police Commander, Anders Thornbug, and Military Commander Micael Bydén, to find out how the armed forces can help the police in their fight against criminal gangs.
“We will pursue the gangs and we will defeat them,” the conservative prime minister said in a national speech on Thursday.
He added: “We will bring them to justice… If they are Swedish citizens, they will be locked up for long prison terms… If they are foreign citizens, they will also be deported”.
Sweden has been suffering from rampant gang crime for years.
In September, violence escalated again, reportedly linked in part to a suspected conflict in the so called Foxtrot criminal network.
