A child peers from behind a residence's security gate as she watches people flee their homes due to gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 9, 2024.A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti’s police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
The attack comes roughly a week after gang attacks in central Port-au-Prince forced more than 3,700 people to flee their homes. Jean-Baptiste said the union wants a newly installed transitional presidential council to demand Elbé’s resignation and order justice officials to launch an investigation into the crisis.
Gressier is in an area controlled by Renel Destina. Best known as “Ti Lapli,” he is a leader of the Grand Ravine gang and considered a key ally of Izo, another powerful gang leader, according to the U.N. The violence surged starting Feb. 29, when gangs launched co-ordinated attacks. Gunmen have burned police stations, opened fire on the main international airport that remains closed since March 4 and raided Haiti’s two biggest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates.