Police in Haiti struggle against gangs in latest surge of violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Police in Haiti appealed for help on Saturday night as they struggled to hold back gangs trying to storm the country’s main prison in a major escalation of violence sweeping the country.

“They need help,” a union representing Haitian police said in a message posted on social media bearing an SOS emoji repeated eight times. “Let’s mobilize the army and the police to prevent the bandits from breaking into the prison.”

A police officer told The Associated Press that the gangs had overwhelmed security forces but were not yet in control of the prison, where several gang leaders were being held. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The armed clashes follow a string of violent protests that have been building for some time, but turned deadlier in recent days as Prime Minister Ariel Henry went to Kenya to salvage a proposed security mission in Haiti to be led by Kenya and backed by the United Nations.

Henry took over as prime minister following the assassination of president Jovenel Moise in 2021 and has repeatedly put on hold plans to hold parliamentary and presidential elections, which have not been held for almost 10 years.

As part of coordinated attacks by gangs, four police officers were killed in the capital on Thursday when gunmen opened fire on targets including Haiti’s international airport. Gang members also seized control of two police stations, prompting civilians to flee and forcing businesses and schools to close.

The prison targeted by gangs is notorious for its extremely crowded and unhygienic conditions. Among its inmates are several gang leaders and 18 former Colombian soldiers alleged to have been involved in killing Moise.

As a result of the violence at the airport, the US embassy in Port-au-Prince said it was temporarily halting all official travel to Haiti.

Haiti’s national police have about 9,000 officers to provide security for more than 11 million people, according to the UN. The officers are routinely overwhelmed and outgunned by powerful gangs, which are estimated to control up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.

Jimmy Cherizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who now runs a gang federation, claimed responsibility for the surge in attacks. The goal was to capture Haiti’s police chief and government ministers and prevent Henry’s return, he said.

Henry signed reciprocal agreements on Friday with Kenyan President William Ruto to try to salvage the plan to deploy Kenyan police to Haiti. Kenya’s High Court had ruled in January that the proposed deployment was unconstitutional, in part because the original deal lacked reciprocal agreements between the two countries.