Haiti’s gang wars have intensified in recent weeks with heavily armed rivals unleashing waves of attacks, including raids on police stations and the international airport. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation on March 11.
The UN report documented 4,451 killings last year and 1,554 through March 22. Some people have been killed in their homes in reprisal for their alleged support for the police or rival gangs. Others have been killed in the street by snipers or in crossfire, the UN report said.
Henry, who has led Haiti since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, promised more than two weeks ago to step down after a transitional council is set up. However, forming the council has proved difficult due to disagreements among party leaders.
The report also mentioned that despite an international arms embargo put in place to stem the violence, a reliable supply of weapons and ammunition was flowing across Haiti’s “porous borders.” The report called for an urgent deployment of a Multinational Security Support Mission to help Haiti’s police end the violence.
Read more here.
