Three residents killed, two Haitian police officers injured in Port-au-Prince gang attack 

PORT-AU-PRINCE — At least three people were killed and two police officers injured in an attack by the Bel-Air gang on Solino in northeast Port-au-Prince on Oct. 17. The violence coincided with the commemoration of the 218th anniversary of the assassination of Haiti’s founding father, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and the arrival of six Bahamian soldiers, part of the promised 150 troops, to bolster the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

Gunfire erupted in Solino, a northeast Port-au-Prince slum, as gangs led by notorious Kempès Sanon of the “Viv Ansanm” coalition launched an early morning assault on residents. One of the victims, identified as 18-year-old Faby, was fatally struck by a stray bullet while watching television in her home. Videos shared online show her lying in a pool of blood as residents mourn her tragic death.

“The child was just sitting there, watching her little movie,” a man said in the video. “This country is broken.”

Despite residents’ urgent calls for intervention, the Haitian National Police (PNH) has responded but struggled to contain the escalating violence, resulting in two officers being injured by the gangs. 

Early in the following morning, gunfire could still be heard throughout Solino and parts of downtown Port-au-Prince. The authorities have released no definitive casualty count.

The attack in Solino marked yet another violent day in Port-au-Prince, with reports of armed clashes in various neighborhoods, including Carrefour de l’Aéroport, Tabarre, and Croix-des-Bouquets, east of downtown Port-au-Prince. In Tabarre 27, gang members set homes ablaze as hundreds of residents fled in search of safety.

October: A month of escalating gang attacks

The Solino assault is part of a broader pattern of gang violence across Haiti, particularly this month. On Oct. 3, over 70 people were killed in Pont-Sondé near Saint-Marc—Artibonite Department— by the Gran Grif gang, leaving at least 3,000 displaced, according to the United Nations Office of Human Rights in Haiti. A week later, the Taliban gang from Canaan launched attacks in Arcahaie, a western commune about 26 miles north of Port-au-Price. 

These attacks have further destabilized the already precarious security situation in the West and Artibonite departments.

In the Artibonite department, particularly in Saint-Marc and areas near Gonaïves, the PNH has increased its operations in response to these attacks but has struggled to regain full control of the affected areas. 

“Authorities are committed to combating the escalation of violence,” PNH deputy spokesperson Lionel Lazarre told The Haitian Times, though an official assessment of the ongoing crisis remains unavailable.

Bahamian soldiers arrive to bolster the MSS

Amid the surge in violence, six soldiers from the Bahamas, part of a contingent pledged to bolster the MSS, landed in Port-au-Prince on Friday. These six soldiers, led by Colonel Julian Smith of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, are the first of 150 Bahamian forces set to reinforce the multinational mission, which currently comprises 413 members from four countries.

“We are here to conduct coordinated and continuous maritime patrols to deter maritime threats,” Colonel Smith said upon arrival at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. He also urged United Nations member states to uphold their financial commitments to the $600 million annual mission.

The Bahamas will take a central role in combating illicit trafficking by disrupting and deterring activities involving narcotics, weapons, and contraband, according to the MSS.

Colonel Kevron Henry, deputy commander of the MSS, welcomed the Bahamian delegation and reaffirmed the mission’s support for the PNH in the fight against gangs. “We are committed to helping Haiti tackle the criminal elements that seek to destroy the nation’s future,” Henry said.

However, like numerous other advised observers, Romulus Jules, executive director of the Haitian Vision for Human Rights (VHDH), expressed skepticism about the mission’s efficacy without stronger leadership from Haitian authorities. 

“Without strong national leadership to guide the force, it’s a lost cause,” Jules told The Haitian Times. “Foreign forces do not truly understand the reality on the ground.”

Jules emphasized the importance of international collaboration, stressing that Haiti’s membership in global organizations like the United Nations (UN), Organizations of American States (OAS), and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) makes international assistance essential.

 “The two constitutional forces—the police and the army—are not equipped to handle this crisis alone,” Jules said. “It’s time for the international community to step up.”

Gunfire continues as insecurity worsens

Even as the Bahamian soldiers arrived, the echo of gunfire continued across Port-au-Prince. Residents in areas like Tabarre 27 and Butte Boyer reported hearing bursts of automatic weapons while others fled their homes, fearing further violence.

Despite the ongoing chaos, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) observed Dessalines’ assassination anniversary with a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Pantheon Museum of Haiti (MUPANAH). 

As Haiti continues to grapple with insecurity, residents remain trapped between the violence of gangs and the limited capacity of law enforcement. For many, the arrival of foreign troops offers a glimmer of hope, but without deeper structural changes, peace remains elusive.

In a speech, Leslie Voltaire, the CPT president, called for an end to violence and a resurgence of national unity.

 “We must put an end to the massacres, kidnappings, and corruption,” he said. “Only a collective resurgence can resolve this crisis.”

The post Three residents killed, two Haitian police officers injured in Port-au-Prince gang attack  appeared first on The Haitian Times.

---

Three residents killed, two Haitian police officers injured in Port-au-Prince gang attack  was first posted on October 19, 2024 at 5:41 pm.