Haiti: Police Dismantles Gang in South of the Country

Police recovered firearms, including an assault rifle, and freed several hostages, in addition to burning the houses used by the gang. Dec. 11, 2023.

Published 11 December 2023

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Insecurity in Haiti continues to increase despite increased police operations, especially in Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite department.

On Sunday, the Haitian Police dismantled a gang in Tiburon, in the extreme south of the country, during an operation in which 15 members of the armed group were killed.

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Images shared on social networks showed the bodies of the alleged gang members, including five women.

The Government Commissioner of the town of Côteaux, Wadson Azor, reported that the police recovered firearms, including an assault rifle, and freed several hostages, in addition to burning houses used by the gang.

Official records show that the gangs, which control around 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince, have military-grade weapons and connections to mafia networks, transnational criminals and significant financial resources.

�� Haïti : Entre 15 et 20 présumés membres d'un gang local ont été tués par la police haïtienne dans la commune de Tiburon (Tibiwon), au sud-ouest du Pays, ce 10.12.23. Les habitants de cette commune ont fêté l'opération policière.
(Sources : Site radiographieHT/Cayesinfo) pic.twitter.com/lAXlty8BVp
— Franceat (@Franceatpresso2) December 10, 2023

The tweet reads, "Haiti : Between 15 and 20 alleged members of a local gang were killed by the Haitian police in the commune of Tiburon (Tibiwon), in the south-west of the country, on 10.12.23. The inhabitants of this commune celebrated the police operation. Local residents celebrated the police operation."

Several media outlets also reported that in recent months there has been an increase in violence in the area and denounced the recent murder of a young businessman, who was executed despite the payment of a ransom by his relatives.

In addition, insecurity in Haiti continues to increase despite increased police operations, especially in Port-au-Prince and the Artibonite department.

More than 3,000 people have lost their lives this year, according to United Nations reports, and thousands more have been victims of kidnappings.

Criminal gangs now control more than three-quarters of the capital, and their influence is beginning to extend to Haiti's northern and southern regions.