A recent surge in violence in Haiti’s capital has left upscale neighborhoods in turmoil, with at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas. Gangs attacked neighborhoods in Laboule and Thomassin, looting homes and forcing residents to flee, begging for police intervention.
The streets of Pétionville were recently lined with the bodies of at least 12 men, as crowds gathered around the victims. This violence comes despite Prime Minister Ariel Henry announcing his resignation in response to gang demands for a transitional presidential council.
Haiti’s power company reported that four substations were destroyed, leaving large portions of Port-au-Prince without electricity. Caribbean leaders are working towards the creation of a transitional council in Haiti, but political parties are struggling to agree on nominations.
The deployment of a U.N.-backed Kenyan police force to fight the gangs in Haiti has been postponed until the transitional council is established. In the meantime, Haiti’s government has extended a nighttime curfew in an attempt to curb the ongoing violence.
The situation remains tense in Haiti as residents and leaders alike grapple with the escalating violence and uncertainty. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with hopes for a resolution to the crisis in the near future.
