GOVERNMENT OF THE STREETS
PIERRE-RICHARD LUXAMA and EVENS SANON
Sat, October 26, 2024
A resident, with a dresser attached to the back of his motorbike, flees his home escaping gang violence in the Solino neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Residents pack up their belongings to flee their homes to escape gang violence in the Solino neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cars are used as barricades to prevent entry of gang members into the Nazon neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
A residents flee their home escaping gang violence in the Solino neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
(AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A gang coalition on Saturday reinforced its attacks on one of the few communities in the Haitian capital not under the control of criminal groups, seeking to take it over.
After a week of clashes with the police in the Solino neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, members of the gang coalition, Viv Ansanm, attacked once again, setting fire to several homes, as the national police union warned that the area was almost under total control of the gunmen.
As morning broke on Saturday, images from social media showed the neighborhood engulfed in smoke and flames. Many people were seen leaving the area with whatever they could carry. Security forces and armed individuals exchanged fire not far from Solino’s police base.
“Solino and Nazon almost lost!” said SPNH-17, a national police union, on X Saturday morning. It also demanded the resignation of authorities. Nazon, another neighborhood right by Solino, also came under attack.
Viv Ansanm, which means “Living Together,” formed in September 2023 as a coalition of two gang federations that were previously enemies. It was responsible for several attacks on critical government infrastructure in February which eventually led to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
On Thursday, the gangs also opened fire and hit a U.N. helicopter, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Port-au-Prince, with one U.S. airline Friday temporarily cancelling flights to the capital. Since last week, residents in Solino have been calling radio stations pleading for help as they fled their homes.
In Solino, Garry Jean-Joseph, 33, blamed the police for the ongoing violence. “I left with nothing,” he said. “The people of Solino do not understand last night, the conspiracy of the policemen and the Live Together (Viv Ansanm) soldiers."
The resident described how at 2 a.m., a policeman in an armored car told residents to go home and that they would secure the neighborhood. However, shortly afterward residents could hear gangs invading. “The police delivered Solino,” he added.
Some officers with Haiti's National Police have been long accused of corruption and working with gangs.
The attacks have displaced more than 10,000 people in the capital in just one week, according to a report released Thursday by the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration. More than half of those left homeless crowded into 14 makeshift shelters, including schools. The remainder are temporarily staying with relatives.
Gangs control 80% of Port-au-Prince, although communities like Solino have been fighting attempts by gunmen to seize control. As gang violence surges across Haiti’s capital and beyond in recent days, concerns have been raise that a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police is struggling to contain the unrest. Thousands of people have been killed or injured this year, and more than 700,000 have been left homeless in recent years.
U.S. and Haitian officials including interim President of Haiti Leslie Voltaire have said the Kenyan mission lacks personnel and funding and have requested that it be replaced by a U.N. peacekeeping mission.
Residents in Haiti's capital flee homes as gangs expand control
Reuters
Sat, October 26, 2024
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A gang attack in Port-au-Prince forced residents to flee their homes on Saturday as the gangs operating in and around the Haitian capital ramp up attacks on areas they do not yet control.
Smoke from gunfights billowed above the capital's Solino neighborhood, where fleeing residents strapped mattresses, furniture, cooking supplies and other possessions to trucks.
Others fled on foot carrying what belongings they could.
Gangs have been escalating their attacks on a number of towns in and around the capital, where much of the city and its suburbs are under the control of various violent armed groups united under a common alliance known as Viv Ansanm.
In Solino, thousands of residents have been displaced in recent days, including people who had previously been displaced from other neighborhoods, the U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) said in a press conference on Friday.
The total number of displaced people in Haiti has doubled in the past three months to almost 700,000, the WFP said.
"I can't count the number of times I've left my house ... Every time I arrive in a new area, I run away," said one man who did not wish to be identified.
Exasperated Solino resident Kettelie Morose, who said she suffers from hypertension and other illnesses, said that "bandits" had kicked her out of her home.
"I'm responsible for several children and I don't know what to do," she said.
Haiti's security crisis continues to fuel the Caribbean nation's humanitarian disaster. The World Food Programme said on Friday that 5.4 million Haitians, or roughly half of the population, is suffering from acute hunger, with pockets of famine-level hunger being reported among internally displaced people.
A U.N. helicopter aiding humanitarian efforts was hit by gunfire on Thursday while flying over Port-au-Prince, later landing safely, the WFP said.
While the U.N. authorized an international force to help Haiti's police take back control from the gangs, the mission has been poorly resourced and has produced scant results.
Reuters
Sat, October 26, 2024
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A gang attack in Port-au-Prince forced residents to flee their homes on Saturday as the gangs operating in and around the Haitian capital ramp up attacks on areas they do not yet control.
Smoke from gunfights billowed above the capital's Solino neighborhood, where fleeing residents strapped mattresses, furniture, cooking supplies and other possessions to trucks.
Others fled on foot carrying what belongings they could.
Gangs have been escalating their attacks on a number of towns in and around the capital, where much of the city and its suburbs are under the control of various violent armed groups united under a common alliance known as Viv Ansanm.
In Solino, thousands of residents have been displaced in recent days, including people who had previously been displaced from other neighborhoods, the U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) said in a press conference on Friday.
The total number of displaced people in Haiti has doubled in the past three months to almost 700,000, the WFP said.
"I can't count the number of times I've left my house ... Every time I arrive in a new area, I run away," said one man who did not wish to be identified.
Exasperated Solino resident Kettelie Morose, who said she suffers from hypertension and other illnesses, said that "bandits" had kicked her out of her home.
"I'm responsible for several children and I don't know what to do," she said.
Haiti's security crisis continues to fuel the Caribbean nation's humanitarian disaster. The World Food Programme said on Friday that 5.4 million Haitians, or roughly half of the population, is suffering from acute hunger, with pockets of famine-level hunger being reported among internally displaced people.
A U.N. helicopter aiding humanitarian efforts was hit by gunfire on Thursday while flying over Port-au-Prince, later landing safely, the WFP said.
While the U.N. authorized an international force to help Haiti's police take back control from the gangs, the mission has been poorly resourced and has produced scant results.
More than 10,000 Haitians flee gang attacks in past week, UN says
Reuters
Updated Thu, October 24, 2024
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
FILE PHOTO: Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - More than 10,000 people in Haiti have been internally displaced in the last week as armed gangs operating in and around the capital Port-au-Prince ramp up attacks on areas they do not yet control, according U.N. migration agency estimates on Thursday.
The agency had said at the start of September that more than 700,000 people were internally displaced across the Caribbean nation, nearly double the figure six months earlier.
Gangs have in the last week been ramping up attacks on a number of towns outside the capital, where much of the city and its suburbs is under the control of various violent armed groups united under a common alliance known as Viv Ansanm.
The conflict is fueling famine-level hunger in parts of the population as gangs take over farmlands and block off transport routes, while people forced to flee their homes - often to host families or makeshift camps - can no longer depend on steady income to afford food.
While the U.N. authorized an international force to help Haiti's police take back control from the gangs, the mission has been poorly resourced and has produced scant results.
Haiti's leadership has requested the force be converted to a formal peacekeeping mission in order to shore up resources, an initiative that was blocked last month by China and Russia.
Gangs who previously targeted national police, civilian self-defense groups and state infrastructure have also began targeting foreign vehicles.
The U.S. embassy in Haiti told Reuters that on Monday, two of its armored vehicles had been targeted by gang gunfire. One was hit by multiple rounds though no one was hurt or injured.
A marked U.N. helicopter with 18 people aboard was also hit by gunfire on Thursday while flying over Port-au-Prince, the U.N.'s World Food Programme said in a statement to Reuters.
No one was injured and the helicopter landed safely, according to the WFP.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland and Harold Isaac; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Christopher Cushing)
Reuters
Updated Thu, October 24, 2024
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
FILE PHOTO: Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
Haitians flee homes from gang violence, in Port-au-Prince
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - More than 10,000 people in Haiti have been internally displaced in the last week as armed gangs operating in and around the capital Port-au-Prince ramp up attacks on areas they do not yet control, according U.N. migration agency estimates on Thursday.
The agency had said at the start of September that more than 700,000 people were internally displaced across the Caribbean nation, nearly double the figure six months earlier.
Gangs have in the last week been ramping up attacks on a number of towns outside the capital, where much of the city and its suburbs is under the control of various violent armed groups united under a common alliance known as Viv Ansanm.
The conflict is fueling famine-level hunger in parts of the population as gangs take over farmlands and block off transport routes, while people forced to flee their homes - often to host families or makeshift camps - can no longer depend on steady income to afford food.
While the U.N. authorized an international force to help Haiti's police take back control from the gangs, the mission has been poorly resourced and has produced scant results.
Haiti's leadership has requested the force be converted to a formal peacekeeping mission in order to shore up resources, an initiative that was blocked last month by China and Russia.
Gangs who previously targeted national police, civilian self-defense groups and state infrastructure have also began targeting foreign vehicles.
The U.S. embassy in Haiti told Reuters that on Monday, two of its armored vehicles had been targeted by gang gunfire. One was hit by multiple rounds though no one was hurt or injured.
A marked U.N. helicopter with 18 people aboard was also hit by gunfire on Thursday while flying over Port-au-Prince, the U.N.'s World Food Programme said in a statement to Reuters.
No one was injured and the helicopter landed safely, according to the WFP.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland and Harold Isaac; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Christopher Cushing)
Gangs in Haiti open fire and hit a UN helicopter midair as violence surges
DÁNICA COTO and EVENS SANON
Updated Thu, October 24, 2024
Soldiers patrol amid the sound of gunshots heard in the distance, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Gangs on Thursday opened fire and hit a U.N. helicopter, forcing it to land in Port-au-Prince in the latest attack in Haiti's capital as violence surges once again.
No one was injured as several rounds of gunfire hit the helicopter that was carrying three crew members and 15 passengers, according to a U.N. source who was not authorized to confirm the incident. The helicopter, which had departed from Port-au-Prince before it was attacked, landed safely, the source said.
The attack comes five months after Haiti's main international airport reopened following coordinated gang attacks that forced it to close for nearly three months.
The violence has spilled to nearby areas including Arcahaie, where some 50 suspected gang members died this week after attacking the coastal town located just northwest of the capital. Among the dead are at least a dozen gunmen who drowned after their boat capsized, a government official said Thursday.
While the majority were killed by police, a group of gunmen drowned on Wednesday after their boat hit the reef as they ferried ammunition to gangs attacking the town of Arcahaie, said Wilner Réné from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency.
He told Radio Caraïbes that the attack began on Monday, with gunmen burning homes and cars across Arcahaie.
When the gangs ran out of ammunition, they hid in nearby areas and were ferreted out by residents and police, he said.
The attack is still ongoing, and Réné warned that officers on the scene urgently need reinforcements from soldiers and special police units.
The attack is blamed on a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which also has targeted communities in Port-au-Prince in recent days. Those attacks have displaced more than 10,000 people in the capital in just one week, according to a report released Thursday by the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration. More than half of those left homeless crowded into 14 makeshift shelters, including schools. The remainder are temporarily staying with relatives.
The spike in gang violence comes just months after a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police began with the aim of quelling a surge in violence from gangs, who control more than 80% of Port-au-Prince. More than 700,000 people have been left homeless, and thousands have been killed.
The U.S. government and top Haitian officials have warned that the Kenyan-led mission lacks personnel and funding and have asked that it be replaced with a U.N.-peacekeeping mission.
___
Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico
DÁNICA COTO and EVENS SANON
Updated Thu, October 24, 2024
Soldiers patrol amid the sound of gunshots heard in the distance, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Gangs on Thursday opened fire and hit a U.N. helicopter, forcing it to land in Port-au-Prince in the latest attack in Haiti's capital as violence surges once again.
No one was injured as several rounds of gunfire hit the helicopter that was carrying three crew members and 15 passengers, according to a U.N. source who was not authorized to confirm the incident. The helicopter, which had departed from Port-au-Prince before it was attacked, landed safely, the source said.
The attack comes five months after Haiti's main international airport reopened following coordinated gang attacks that forced it to close for nearly three months.
The violence has spilled to nearby areas including Arcahaie, where some 50 suspected gang members died this week after attacking the coastal town located just northwest of the capital. Among the dead are at least a dozen gunmen who drowned after their boat capsized, a government official said Thursday.
While the majority were killed by police, a group of gunmen drowned on Wednesday after their boat hit the reef as they ferried ammunition to gangs attacking the town of Arcahaie, said Wilner Réné from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency.
He told Radio Caraïbes that the attack began on Monday, with gunmen burning homes and cars across Arcahaie.
When the gangs ran out of ammunition, they hid in nearby areas and were ferreted out by residents and police, he said.
The attack is still ongoing, and Réné warned that officers on the scene urgently need reinforcements from soldiers and special police units.
The attack is blamed on a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which also has targeted communities in Port-au-Prince in recent days. Those attacks have displaced more than 10,000 people in the capital in just one week, according to a report released Thursday by the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration. More than half of those left homeless crowded into 14 makeshift shelters, including schools. The remainder are temporarily staying with relatives.
The spike in gang violence comes just months after a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police began with the aim of quelling a surge in violence from gangs, who control more than 80% of Port-au-Prince. More than 700,000 people have been left homeless, and thousands have been killed.
The U.S. government and top Haitian officials have warned that the Kenyan-led mission lacks personnel and funding and have asked that it be replaced with a U.N.-peacekeeping mission.
___
Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico
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