Gun battles erupted in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of four police officers. A prominent gang leader announced a coordinated attack by armed groups aimed at removing Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The city was filled with the sound of gunfire as authorities clashed with assailants targeting police stations, two of which were set on fire, as well as a police academy and the Toussaint-Louverture International Airport.
In a video posted on social media before the attacks, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherisier declared, “Today, we announce that all armed groups are going to act to get Prime Minister Ariel Henry to step down. We will use all strategies to achieve this goal. We claim responsibility for everything that’s happening in the streets right now.”
An official from a police union informed AFP that, apart from the four officers killed, five others were injured.
Armed gangs have seized control of significant portions of the country in recent years, unleashing severe violence that has devastated the Haitian economy and public health system. Simultaneously, the nation has been engulfed in widespread civil and political unrest, with numerous individuals taking to the streets in recent weeks demanding Henry’s resignation after he failed to step down as scheduled.
As per a political agreement following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, Haiti was supposed to conduct elections and have Henry transfer power to newly elected officials by February 7 of this year, which has not occurred.
Henry is currently in Kenya, which is set to lead a multinational mission approved by the United Nations Security Council to assist Haitian police in regaining control of the country. The international force, known as the Multinational Security Support Mission or “MSS,” has been deployed at the request of the Haitian government and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Its responsibilities include safeguarding hospitals, schools, airports, ports, and traffic intersections in collaboration with the Haitian National Police.
Schools, universities, and businesses in Haiti ceased operations as the turmoil escalated on Thursday. At one point, students at the State University of Haiti were briefly held captive before being released, according to a dean. One student was reportedly injured by gunfire during the conflict.
Several airlines canceled domestic and international flights following attacks on aircraft and an airport terminal.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need not only for the restoration of safety but also for a resolution to Haiti’s years of political turmoil. Speaking in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines before the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit, he stated, “You can put as many police forces as possible in Haiti (but) if there is no political solution, the problem will not be solved.”
Prime Minister Henry recently agreed to “share power” with the opposition until new elections are held, although a date has not been set. Five countries, including the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, and Chad, have expressed readiness to join the multinational policing mission led by Kenya.
