US Marines return fire after attack on embassy in Haiti amid escalating gang clashes

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Marines assigned to protect the US Embassy in Haiti exchanged gunfire with suspected members of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition this week in Tabarre, according to US military officials. No Marines were injured, but the attack underscored how even diplomatic missions are increasingly exposed as armed groups tighten their control over the capital.

Capt. Steven Keenan, US Marine Corps spokesperson, confirmed the incident that occurred on Thursday, Nov. 13, telling The Washington Post that the Marines “returned fire after being targeted” and emphasizing that the force remains committed to protecting US diplomatic personnel worldwide.

The attack occurred in Tabarre, a northeastern commune of Port-au-Prince once known for relative calm but now dominated by armed groups, including 400 Mawozo, Chen Mechan and Kraze Baryè. Their territorial expansion has pushed thousands of residents from their homes and placed diplomats, humanitarian workers and remaining state institutions at risk.

The Nov. 13 shooting is the latest in a growing series of security breaches near the embassy. In October 2024 and January 2025, gunmen opened fire on vehicles affiliated with the embassy. The January attack wounded an embassy gardener and left bullet holes on armored US vehicles.

The US Embassy has often warned citizens of deteriorating conditions, but the recent escalation demonstrates that even heavily protected diplomatic zones are no longer insulated from the violence sweeping Port-au-Prince.

Coinciding with Haitian police operations, a capital under siege

The incident unfolded while Haitian law enforcement, supported by the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), carried out a major anti-gang operation in the Cul-de-Sac Plain areas, including Santo and Lilavois— strongholds of the 400 Mawozo and Chen Mechan gangs in Croix-des-Bouquets.

During that operation, authorities seized high-caliber weapons — including a Barrett M82 rifle, several assault rifles and pistols — as well as a bulldozer reportedly used by 400 Mawozo to build barricades.

A PNH helicopter providing aerial support was forced to land after coming under fire and experiencing a mechanical failure. All personnel on board escaped unharmed, and officers destroyed the aircraft to prevent gangs from recovering it.

“This operation sends a clear and unequivocal message: the era of uncontrolled gang dominance is over,” the GSF said in a Nov. 15 statement. “Haiti’s security institutions are mobilizing all their capabilities — on land, at sea and in the air — to restore peace.”

The attack on US personnel reflects Haiti’s broader security collapse. Armed groups now control over 90% of Port-au-Prince, according to Haitian and international institutions’ estimates. Neighborhoods once considered safe have fallen under gang influence, while others remain trapped between rival groups and police operations.

Residents face daily threats of kidnappings, killings, arson attacks and house burnings. The control exerted by the Viv Ansanm coalition and affiliated gangs continues to fracture communities, choke economic activity and push state institutions closer to paralysis.

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) reported last week that at least 1,247 people were killed and 710 were injured between July and September alone. Combined with more than 3,000 deaths recorded from January to June, Haiti has seen over 4,200 people killed in gang-related violence in 2025.

Meanwhile, as of Sept. 30, more than 1.4 million people have been displaced as families flee attacks and entire neighborhoods empty out— the UN reported.

Continuing operations, uncertain path to stability

Despite intensified law enforcement operations and the continuing deployment of the GSF, stability remains elusive. Security experts warn that long-term recovery will require not only reclaiming territory from gangs, but also restoring government institutions, strengthening local policing and ensuring sustained international support.

The GSF says operations will continue, as it expects to be complete and fully operational by March-April 2026. 

“Joint operations based on intelligence and continuous patrols will continue until these criminal groups are completely defeated,” the force officials said.

For many in Port-au-Prince, however, the immediate concern is survival. With violence encroaching on diplomatic zones and residential neighborhoods alike, the need for coordinated action — and a path back to national stability — has never been more urgent.

The post US Marines return fire after attack on embassy in Haiti amid escalating gang clashes appeared first on The Haitian Times.