Haitian police begin 2026 with multiple offensives against gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The Haitian National Police (PNH) began 2026 with a series of operations targeting armed gangs and weapons trafficking across several Port-au-Prince neighborhoods, Arcahaie and some areas in the Northern Department, seizing assault rifles, ammunition and tactical gear while arresting several suspects.

The most recent operation took place Thursday, Jan. 8, in Delmas 2, an area authorities describe as a stronghold of the “Krache Dife” gang, a Viv Ansanm coalition affiliate led by Jean Gardy. Police reported seizing two M4 assault rifles, four magazines for M14 rifles, four bulletproof vests, four tactical vests, two ballistic plates and a container of 5.56 mm ammunition.

“This operation is part of a strategy to intensify the fight against armed gangs and reduce their capacity to cause harm,” the PNH general directorate said in a statement, reiterating its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and restoring order in high-risk areas.

The operations were carried out with support from the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), which the United Nations Security Council reconfigured in October as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), and from the security task force established by the prime minister’s office. Police said the actions inflicted losses on gang structures and led to multiple arrests.

Bel-Air among first targets in Port-au-Prince, Arcahaie operation dismantles roadblock

In the capital, operations began earlier in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Delmas 4 on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Police said the intervention was aimed at armed groups they classify as terrorist organizations, accused of terrorizing residents and restricting movement.

On Wednesday, Jan. 7, officers searched a house near the residence of a gang leader known as Jamesley, seizing an M16 rifle, a magazine, a police-issued bulletproof vest, binoculars, a ballistic helmet and other equipment. Police said a man, a woman and two children were found inside the house, though authorities have not disclosed further details about their presence.

Earlier, on Friday, Jan. 2, police intervened in the Bercy area of Arcahaie, west of Port-au-Prince, where armed groups had erected roadblocks to extort residents and disrupt traffic.

Police said the operation dismantled the barricades and led to the seizure of three firearms — two M4 rifles and one Kalashnikov-style rifle. Several suspects were injured during exchanges of gunfire with officers, authorities said.

Arms trafficking targeted in the North

In northern Haiti, police struck a weapons trafficking network linked to firearms smuggling from the United States. On Jan. 7, Cedernier “Djo” Joseph was arrested in Quartier-Morin, a day after authorities intercepted a container at Cap-Haïtien port, Cap-Terminal S.A. 2.

The container, inspected by the Brigade for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (BLTS) with support from customs and local police, contained nine handguns of various calibers, nine magazines and about 5,500 rounds of 7.62×39 ammunition. Two other individuals, Willy Pierre and Clevickson Servius, were detained at the scene for illegal international arms trafficking.

Operations intensify, but control remains elusive

Despite the stepped-up operations, police acknowledge that no territory has yet been fully reclaimed. Several gang members have been killed in gunfights, but no prominent gang leaders have been captured or neutralized.

Meanwhile, armed groups continue attacks in areas including Kenscoff, Montrouis and parts of the Artibonite region, where residents’ movement remains severely restricted.

Speaking Jan. 7 on Radio Magik 9, Mario Andrésol, secretary of state for public security, said authorities plan to clear national roads linking Port-au-Prince to the south and north before Feb. 7, when the mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council is set to end.

“I can guarantee that Port-au-Prince has not fallen and will not fall,” Andrésol said. “Even if major gang leaders are not immediately arrested, the objective is to dismantle the structures they rely on and isolate them from their followers.”

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