Gang coalition in Haiti spreads violence to Port-au-Prince neighborhood, setting fire to homes

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A pack conjugation connected Saturday reinforced its attacks connected 1 of nan fewer communities successful nan Haitian superior not nether nan power of criminal groups, seeking to return it over.

After a week of clashes pinch nan police successful nan Solino vicinity successful Port-au-Prince, members of nan pack coalition, Viv Ansanm, attacked erstwhile again, mounting occurrence to respective homes, arsenic nan nationalist constabulary national warned that nan area was almost nether full power of nan gunmen.

As greeting collapsed connected Saturday, images from societal media showed nan vicinity engulfed successful fume and flames. Many group were seen leaving nan area pinch immoderate they could carry. Security forces and equipped individuals exchanged occurrence not acold from Solino’s constabulary base.

“Solino and Nazon almost lost!” said SPNH-17, a nationalist constabulary union, connected X Saturday morning. It besides demanded nan resignation of authorities. Nazon, different vicinity correct by Solino, besides came nether attack.

Viv Ansanm, which intends “Living Together,” formed successful September 2023 arsenic a conjugation of 2 pack federations that were antecedently enemies. It was responsible for respective attacks connected captious authorities infrastructure successful February which yet led to nan resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

On Thursday, nan gangs besides opened occurrence and deed a U.N. helicopter, forcing it to make an emergency landing successful Port-au-Prince, pinch 1 U.S. hose Friday temporarily cancelling flights to nan capital. Since past week, residents successful Solino person been calling power stations pleading for thief arsenic they fled their homes.

In Solino, Garry Jean-Joseph, 33, blamed nan constabulary for nan ongoing violence. “I near pinch nothing,” he said. “The group of Solino do not understand past night, nan conspiracy of nan policemen and nan Live Together (Viv Ansanm) soldiers."

The resident described really astatine 2 a.m., a policeman successful an armored car told residents to spell location and that they would unafraid nan neighborhood. However, soon afterward residents could perceive gangs invading. “The constabulary delivered Solino,” he added.

Some officers pinch Haiti's National Police person been agelong accused of corruption and moving pinch gangs.

The attacks person displaced much than 10,000 group successful nan superior successful conscionable 1 week, according to a study released Thursday by nan U.N.’s International Organization for Migration. More than half of those near bum crowded into 14 makeshift shelters, including schools. The remainder are temporarily staying pinch relatives.

Gangs power 80% of Port-au-Prince, though communities for illustration Solino person been fighting attempts by gunmen to prehend control. As pack unit surges crossed Haiti’s superior and beyond successful caller days, concerns person been raise that a U.N.-backed ngo led by Kenyan police is struggling to incorporate nan unrest. Thousands of group person been killed aliases injured this year, and much than 700,000 person been near bum successful caller years.

U.S. and Haitian officials including interim President of Haiti Leslie Voltaire person said nan Kenyan ngo lacks unit and backing and person requested that it beryllium replaced by a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

Earlier this year, coordinated pack attacks forced nan authorities to adjacent Haiti’s main world airdrome for astir 3 months.