Police Battle Gangs Attempting to Seize Haitian Capital
NewsweekOCT 20 2024
Police and residents successfully defended Haiti's wealthy hillside neighborhood of Pétion-Ville, located near the capital, Port-au-Prince, from an overnight gang attack. A reported 28 gang members were found dead following the fight.
Residents mobilized self-defense groups, some armed with machetes and hammers, barricading the streets. They also lynched some of the suspected gang members, including by beheading them and setting them on fire.
According to a police spokesman, authorities halted trucks suspected of transporting gang members and seized ammunition, a drone, and at least two AK-47s. Police also killed ten gang members while residents helped track down the remaining ones.
Just days after PM Fils-Aimé's inauguration, violence has spiraled out of control, with Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier's gang forcing 20K more from their homes in a week. Over 700K are now displaced, and aid delivery has become too dangerous. With insufficient police to restore order, Haiti faces a deepening humanitarian crisis. The world must act urgently to provide the help Haiti desperately needs.
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