PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Law enforcement in Haiti has initiated more than a dozen arrest warrants targeting individuals believed to have provided support to gang members responsible for a string of assaults in the peaceful community of Kenscoff, located near the capital, which has endured attacks for the past three weeks.

According to a press briefing by police spokesman Lionel Lazarre, numerous fatalities have occurred in Kenscoff this month, including the tragic deaths of three police officers and a soldier. The ongoing violence highlights the severity of the situation in the area.

Among those implicated in fostering gang activities and conspiring against the government are former Senator Nenel Cassy and former legislator Alfredo Antoine of Kenscoff. Attempts to contact both for their statements have not yielded any responses.

Tragically, the violence has claimed innocent lives, including that of a two-month-old infant, as reported by the Cooperative for Peace and Development, a local organization dedicated to human rights. This group has advocated for the establishment of an international criminal tribunal dedicated to prosecuting those responsible for the widespread violence and killings that have claimed thousands of lives throughout Haiti in recent years, including children.

Lazarre noted the challenging road access to areas dominated by gangs but reiterated the commitment to combating gang violence, stating that numerous gang members have been killed in recent skirmishes, although he did not share specific details regarding these encounters.

Currently, gangs exert control over approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince, and they have escalated their assaults on areas previously deemed peaceful to expand their territorial influence.

Last year, the United Nations reported more than 5,600 deaths attributed to gang violence in Haiti, which has displaced over one million individuals in recent times, illustrating the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the nation.