At least a dozen gang members drown near Haiti while ferrying ammunition to gunmen, official says
A Haitian official says some 50 suspected gang members have died this week after attacking a coastal town near the country's capital
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Some 50 suspected gang members have died this week after attacking a coastal town in Haiti, including at least a dozen who drowned after their boat capsized, a government official said Thursday.
While the majority were killed by police, a group of gunmen drowned on Wednesday after their boat hit the reef as they ferried ammunition to gangs attacking the town of Arcahaie, said Wilner Réné from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency.
He told Radio Caraïbes that the attack began on Monday, with gunmen burning homes and cars in the town located just northwest of the capital of Port-au-Prince.
When the gangs ran out of ammunition, they hid in nearby areas and were ferreted out by residents and police, he said.
The attack is still ongoing, and Réné warned that officers on the scene urgently need reinforcements from soldiers and special police units.
The attack is blamed on a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm, which also has targeted communities in Port-au-Prince in recent days.
The spike in gang violence comes just months after a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police began with the aim of quelling a surge in violence from gangs, who control more than 80% of Port-au-Prince. More than 700,000 people have been left homeless, thousands have been killed, and the country's main airport was forced to close for nearly three months earlier this year because of the violence.
The U.S. government and top Haitian officials have warned that the Kenyan-led mission lacks personnel and funding and have asked that it be replaced with a U.N.-peacekeeping mission.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.