(Port-au-Prince) The Haitian National Police carried out an operation in the stronghold of gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, known as “Barbecue”, near Port-au-Prince. Several members of the gang died, a police union official told AFP on Saturday, without specifying their exact number.
The operation, which took place Friday evening, was carried out with several units of the national police in the Bas Delmas district and aimed to unblock a road axis, said Lionel Lazarre, coordinator of the National Union of the Haitian Police (Synapoha).
A source within the National Port Authority further indicated to AFP that the police were trying on Saturday morning to regain control of the main port terminal of Port-au-Prince, in the face of a new attack criminals who looted several containers.
Caribbean Port Services SA, the operator of the capital’s port, announced on March 7 that it was suspending its activity due to “disturbing public order”, citing “malicious acts of sabotage and vandalism” suffered since March 1.er March.
Port-au-Prince has been the scene of an outbreak of violence by criminal gangs in recent weeks and the situation there was still “explosive” on Friday according to the UN, at a time when Haitians are awaiting the establishment of a presidential council of transition after the announcement of the resignation of the contested Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who now handles current affairs.
The gangs control entire swaths of Haiti, including 80% of the capital, and are accused of numerous abuses, in particular murders, rapes, and kidnappings for ransom.