PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — On Saturday, multiple neighborhoods in the Haitian capital experienced violent gang assaults, prompting numerous residents to flee their homes as a barrage of gunfire persisted throughout the night. Authorities have yet to disclose any information regarding potential casualties from the attacks.

The police union in Haiti took to social media to express serious concerns regarding the onslaught of violence in the Solino district, warning that failing to address the situation could result in the gangs overwhelming the entire city. Their post on the social media platform X stated, “If there are no actions taken against the criminals dominating Solino and Nazon, we risk losing the entire capital. Without improvements in safety, no government will be able to sustain itself.”

Earlier in the week, gunfire in various neighborhoods including Solino, St. Michel, and Tabarre 27 tragically resulted in the death of at least one woman. Furthermore, Radio Télé Métronome reported that the installation ceremony for Haiti’s provisional electoral council, which was set for Friday in the city center, had to be relocated for safety reasons.

In an effort to combat the escalating gang violence, a group of six officials from the Bahamas arrived in Haiti on Friday to join a United Nations-backed mission, which is being led by law enforcement from Kenya. These officials are part of a larger team, with 150 Bahamian soldiers expected to deploy in the upcoming months.

The motives behind the recent surge in violence remain unclear, particularly as this attack followed closely after a joint operation by Haitian and Kenyan police that led to the deaths of at least 20 alleged gang members in territory controlled by the notorious 400 Mawozo gang, primarily active in the Tabarre area. Currently, gangs exert control over approximately 80% of Port-au-Prince, with neighborhoods like Solino actively resisting efforts from armed groups to establish dominance there.