Police officers, civilians killed as gangs launched new siege on Port-au-Prince

PORT-AU-PRINCE — At least two civilians and one police officer were killed Thursday, Oct. 24 in the Solino neighborhood of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, during clashes between the Bel-Air gang, led by gang leader Kempès Sanon, and specialized units of the Haitian National Police. The coalition of gangs Viv Ansanm has been attempting to seize control of the recently liberated neighborhood in Haiti’s capital since Dessalines Day on Oct. 17 with multiple deadly clashes involving police forces in Solino and other neighborhoods of Port au Prince.

The police officer killed on Thursday was Ralph Isaac during a large-scale operation aimed at countering gangs in the capital. The National Police Union of Haiti (SPNH-17) expressed sorrow over Isaac’s death on social media. The union called on Director General Rameau Normil to focus on targeting gang strongholds as the only way to dismantle the criminal networks plaguing the country. 

The high command of the Haitian police has yet to release any information regarding the police officer shot dead by gang members on Thursday. Two other police officers in Solino were also injured in gunfire last week.

This latest loss within the Haitian National Police brings the number of police officers killed by gunfire in 2024 to 26. Last year, 34 police officers were killed and 22 injured in Haiti in gang-related incidents.

Earlier this week, the police institution announced that they had reinforced their presence in the Solino neighborhood and even established a police base in Delmas 24 to continue operations against the criminal groups invading the area. However, armed bandits, who are hiding in homes, continue to challenge law enforcement and are causing casualties among police officers and residents of Solino.

“Several specialized units of the Haitian National Police (PNH), supported by the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), are currently heavily engaged in operations in the Solino neighborhood,” stated the police institution, noting that several gang members have been killed. 

“The Haitian National Police (PNH) is more determined than ever to continue its fierce fight against serious crime throughout the national territory.”

For now, residents of the Solino neighborhood and surrounding areas are far from seeing the end of their nightmare amid repeated attacks by the criminal coalition Viv Ansanm, which seeks to expand its control over more territories. Just like in Solino, armed gang attacks have intensified in Arcahaie and Tabarre since October 17, causing deaths and injuries, forcing residents to flee, and leaving a chaotic situation in their neighborhoods.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 10,056 people were displaced in less than a week due to armed gang attacks in Port-au-Prince, Delmas, Tabarre and Saint-Marc. As of October 23, 8,361 fled their homes in Port-au-Prince and Delmas, while 1,695 were displaced in Tabarre amid escalating violence.

U.S. Embassy and World Food Programme face attacks as gang violence escalates across Haiti

In recent weeks, gang violence has dominated the news and the daily lives of Haitians. Reports of murders, injuries among the population, and the increase in displaced persons circulate throughout the day. Since the rise of this violence, reminiscent of the escalation in February 2024 when gangs freed about 4,000 prisoners, these groups spare no one and no sector in their criminal actions.

“Intervening on multiple fronts, the PNH remains mobilized and is actively increasing its efforts to eradicate the violence of criminal and terrorist gangs across the national territory.”

High command of the Haitian National Police 

As Haiti grapples with a severe food crisis worsened by widespread insecurity, armed gangs targeted a World Food Programme (WFP) helicopter on Thursday, Oct. 24. While flying over the Grand Ravin area—controlled by gang leader Ti Lapli—the WFP helicopter, en route to Les Cayes, was struck by multiple projectiles fired by the group. Fortunately, none of the 18 passengers on board were injured.

This incident occurred three days after bandits operating in the Tabarre municipality launched an attack on two vehicles belonging to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, one of which was hit by several bullets on Monday, Oct. 21, Ambassador Dennis Hankins revealed in an interview with Métropole on Wednesday, Oct. 23. 

No embassy personnel were injured during the incident. Following this attack, the U.S Embassy stated it continues to condemn the increase in gang violence in Port-au-Prince and reiterated Assistant Secretary Brian Nichols’ call for Haitian unity in the international fight against gangs.

Ambassador Hankins described the gangs’ reaction to recent government actions as a potential sign of progress. He noted that, with support from the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, Haitian authorities are ramping up efforts to capture key gang leaders, which he believes has prompted a defensive response from the gangs.

“I think this is a sign of success. We have observed that with the government’s actions, in partnership with the support of the MSS, attempts have been made to capture one of the gang leaders. I believe this has created a reaction among the gangs,” Hankins said.

According to Hankins, the gangs are feeling pressured to retaliate, “creating a crisis in other areas of the country and dividing the already limited security resources.”

Police progress not enough to deter the gangs

In videos, Haitian police, supported by Kenyan police from the multinational mission, arrived at the territory of the Grif gang’s base, which had orchestrated a massacre in the locality of Pont-Sondé in the Artibonite, killing more than 70 people. They freed Carrefour Peigne taken hostage by armed men of gang leader Luckson Elan, who is sanctioned by the United States and the UN. In other videos, traffic resumed in the area, and the gang members fled.

In Arcahaie, the National Police of Haiti, in collaboration with the local population, is actively fighting the gangs after Oct. 17th’s increase in attacks. The PNH has deployed law enforcement agents to reinforce the police already engaged on the ground. They have managed to kill more than fifteen bandits who invaded the commune, reports the PNH in a statement. A dozen bandits on a small boat bringing weapons and ammunition to the gangs of Canaan were killed during a shipwreck. However, the threat of gangs remains over the flag city of Arcahaie.

During the operation in Carrefour Peigne, Saint-Marc, pushing back the gangs, the police claim to have killed several bandits, including one woman, during exchanges of gunfire. Additionally, the police seized weapons and equipment in the possession of the bandits, including a 12 GA caliber shotgun by MOSBERG, a fake weapon, and four phones, two of which were Androids. This seizure was carried out in a building used by bandits to commit criminal acts, including extorting peaceful citizens, adds the PNH.

“Intervening on multiple fronts, the PNH remains mobilized and is actively increasing its efforts to eradicate the violence of criminal and terrorist gangs across the national territory,” declares the high command. 

“We continue to believe that the collaboration of the population plays a crucial role in the fight to eradicate the strongholds of gangs and terrorists.”

The post Police officers, civilians killed as gangs launched new siege on Port-au-Prince appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Police officers, civilians killed as gangs launched new siege on Port-au-Prince was first posted on October 25, 2024 at 12:51 pm.