Gangs in Haiti launched severe attacks on several neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, setting homes on fire and engaging in prolonged gunfire with police early Thursday. The violence occurred shortly after the announcement of Haiti’s new prime minister and marked one of the largest assaults in recent times.
The attacks began late Wednesday in areas such as Solino, Delmas 18, 20, and 24, which are southwest of the main international airport, closed due to ongoing gang violence for nearly two months. According to a man named Néne, gangs started burning everything visible, prompting him to hide throughout the night.
Residents walks down as they flee their homes (Tim Allen/Shutterstock)
Néne and a friend carried a dusty red suitcase filled with clothes belonging to his children, whom he evacuated from Delmas 18 at dawn during a lull in the fighting. The once-bustling neighborhoods were eerily quiet after sunrise, with deserted streets aside from occasional sounds like the bleating of a lone goat.
Police armored trucks patrolled amidst charred vehicles and walls marked with graffiti referencing prominent gang leaders. Residents who escaped the attacks clutched personal items like fans, stoves, mattresses, and bags of clothes, fleeing on foot, motorcycle, or tap-tap buses.
Others, like Paul Pierre and his partner, walked empty-handed after losing everything when their home was burned down.
