At least 35 suspected members of armed gangs belonging to the “Vivre Ensemble” (Living Together) coalition were killed and 40 others wounded during violent clashes with Haiti’s National Police (PNH) in Pacot, a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to a report by the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH).

RNDDH Executive Director Pierre Esperance stated that self-defense brigades also participated in the fighting against the gang members.

The PNH, through a statement on its official Facebook page, confirmed six deaths, including two police officers, but provided few additional details about the confrontation, which reportedly broke out around 11:00 a.m. local time. Authorities said several gang members were arrested during the operation.

Simultaneously, the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) expressed sorrow over another violent incident in Canapé-Vert, where heavily armed individuals attacked members of the local self-defense brigade. According to a CPT statement, the police and brigade members “were shot and killed while fulfilling their duty to protect the population at the risk of their own lives.“

Spiraling Humanitarian Crisis

The escalating violence in Haiti has resulted in at least 5,626 deaths so far in 2024 — 1,000 more than the previous year — with an additional 2,213 wounded and 1,494 people kidnapped, according to verified United Nations data.

This deteriorating security situation has displaced more than one million people across the country, as systematic clashes between law enforcement forces and heavily armed gangs continue to devastate communities.

The international community, including the United Nations, has repeatedly expressed concern over the mounting humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti, urging immediate action to prevent further bloodshed and displacement.

EN ESTA NOTA: