PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A severe assault by heavily armed gangs has struck a neighborhood in Haiti that typically houses members of the elite class, resulting in at least 40 fatalities. The area had previously managed to evade such criminal actions, but now police officials are urgently seeking assistance to combat the gang activities.
Mayor Jean Massillon reported that the town of Kenscoff has faced continuous attacks for over a week. He attributed the violence to the Viv Ansanm gang coalition, explaining that armed individuals are infiltrating homes and shooting indiscriminately at residents. “They have encircled the area,” he declared, issuing a call for law enforcement reinforcements to help restore order.
The individuals who have lost their lives include local clergy, educators, and minors. However, it is suspected that the actual death toll may be higher since authorities have struggled to access certain parts of the neighborhood, which is known to be populated by various politicians and business executives. Most of the deceased are believed to be local workers who cultivate crops on the outskirts of the area nestled at the base of a mountain range.
Gangs currently exert control over approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince, and the United Nations has cautioned that they could potentially take full control of the capital. The incidents in Kenscoff came shortly after warnings from the government and police regarding the possibility of further attacks in the capital, although they did not specify the targeted locations.
Jean Bertho Valmo, a farmer aged 45 who fled from Kenscoff, shared that 12 members of his family were among the casualties. He described waking up to another barrage of gunfire just before dawn, prompting him and numerous others to seek sanctuary in the yard of the mayor’s office. “There isn’t enough water and food for everyone,” he lamented. He also expressed sorrow over his lost crops, which included cabbage, carrots, and broccoli, stating, “I invested everything I had in them.” Valmo urged the police and government officials to take decisive action against the violence.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the assault that commenced on January 27 has left over 1,660 individuals displaced. In recent years, gang-related violence has rendered more than one million people homeless throughout Haiti.
A police union representative indicated that the violence in Kenscoff could have been averted had the police been better equipped, mentioning the need for tools such as helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, and adequate funding for intelligence operations. “Despite these unfavorable conditions, our officers continue to make relentless efforts, yet we cannot overlook the negligence by the authorities in securing the safety of both officers and the general populace,” the SPNH-17 union commented in a statement.
