Haitian police fight to keep gang coalition from seizing power of entire capital

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

GUN BATTLES BETWEEN POLICE AND GANGS IN HAITI’S CAPITAL ARE FORCING THOUSANDS TO FLEE.

GUNMEN FOUGHT TO TAKE OVER ONE THE FEW AREAS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE NOT ALREADY CONTROLLED BY CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS.

THE NEIGHBORHOODS SOLINO AND NAZON HAVE BEEN UNDER ATTACK SINCE THURSDAY.

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GANG MEMBERS THREATENED RESIDENTS WHO DON’T JOIN THEIR EFFORTS THAT THEY WILL BE “BURNED TO ASHES.”

THE ATTACKERS ARE REPORTEDLY A COALITION OF TWO RIVAL GANGS THAT JOINED FORCES TO ATTACK NEIGHBORHOODS AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS. THEIR EFFORTS FORCED PRIME MINISTER ARIEL HENRY TO RESIGN IN FEBRUARY.

THE RECENT VIOLENCE HAS FORCED MORE THAN 42-HUNDRED PEOPLE TO FLEE.

MORE THAN 60 PERCENT OF HAITIANS LEFT HOMELESS HAVE MOVED INTO ALREADY CROWDED EMERGENCY SHELTERS. 

OVER THE WEEKEND, HAITI’S POLICE UNION WARNED IF IT LOSES THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, IT COULD MEAN LOSING CONTROL THE ENTIRE CITY TO GANGS. AND IF THAT HAPPENS, POLICE SAY, NO GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO BE IN PLACE.

GANGS CURRENTLY CONTROL 80 PERCENT OF PORT-AU-PRINCE. A U-N-APPROVED KENYAN-LED INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN SENT IN TO QUELL THE VIOLENCE. 

IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE LATEST ATTACK– BUT IT COMES DAYS AFTER HAITIAN AND KENYAN POLICE KILLED 20 SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.