Port-au-Prince, Nov 19 (EFE).- At least 28 suspected members of armed groups were killed in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday by the National Police and civilians, who then burned the bodies of more than 20 of them, confirmed the National Police.
The information was confirmed by the national police spokesman Lionel Lazarre, who reported that 28 suspected gang members were killed and hundreds of munitions seized.
Some of them were killed by the police in the houses where they were hiding and then found by civilians, who maimed and burned the bodies.
According to reports, armed gangs began to move into different areas of the capital between Monday night and Tuesday morning to establish new bases in areas not yet under their direct control.
The death toll is likely to rise in the coming hours as citizens continue to search areas where the gang members are believed to be hiding.
In messages that have been circulating on social media for several days, armed gangs announced attacks in Delmas and Pétion-Ville to take control of these areas.
The inhabitants of the Nazon, Lalue, Christ Roi and Bois-Verna areas experienced a night of terror, with intense automatic gunfire forcing hundreds of people to stay awake throughout the night.
The situation led to the closure of businesses and schools in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, where areas have also been cordoned off as surveillance brigades look for more gang members.
Clashes between police officers and armed gangs are occurring in several parts of the capital, creating a panic-stricken atmosphere amid empty streets.
The police operations come a week after armed gangs from the Vivre Ensemble (Live Together) coalition, led by former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, also known as “Barbecue,” announced days of terror in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.
Last week, two United States commercial planes were shot at, leading to the closure of Toussaint Louverture International Airport, the country’s main airport, and the suspension of flights by several airlines.
The United Nations also temporarily suspended the delivery of humanitarian aid because the port and airport in the capital were inaccessible due to the severe deterioration in security.
Between July and September alone, at least 1,223 people were killed and 522 injured in Haiti due to violence and the fight against gangs, according to the UN Integrated Office in the country (BINUH).
This is in addition to the 3,900 victims, both dead and injured, in the first half of 2024, after 2023 closed with around 8,000 victims. EFE
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