Haiti gang attack leaves at least 20 dead

Haiti gang attack leaves at least 20 dead

At least 20 people including children have been killed after an armed gang attacked a small town in Haiti.

Another 50 were wounded as Gran Grif gang members rampaged through Pont-Sondé in the central Artibonite region about 71km (44 miles) north-west of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Video footage shows groups of people fleeing the violence on motorbikes and on foot. A government prosecutor described the attack as “a massacre”, reported the Associated Press.

Armed gangs have taken control of large parts of Haiti and a UN-backed policing mission, led by officers from Kenya, began in June in an attempt to wrestle back control.

The exact number of dead from the attack is not clear – local media reported that more than 50 had been killed, while a Haitian human rights group put the figure at 20 or more, AP said.

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Gran Grif is said to be one of the most violent of Haiti’s gangs. In January 2023 its members were accused of attacking a police station near Port-Sondé and killing six officers. It is also blamed for forcing the closure of a hospital serving more than 700,000 people.

The gang has about 100 members and has been accused of crimes including murder, rape, robberies and kidnappings, according to a UN report cited by AP. Both its founder and current leader are subject to US sanctions.

Thursday’s gang rampage comes almost a month after the Haitian authorities expanded a state of emergency to cover the whole of the country.

Prime Minister Garry Conille has vowed to crack down on the gangs, with the UN saying a “robust use of force” is needed.

It has approved the policing mission made up of 2,500 officers from various countries – including 1,000 pledged by Kenya.

Their deployment has been authorised for one year, with a review to be held after nine months.

Haiti gang attack leaves at least 20 dead