the Solino district still in the hands of gangs after the failure of a police operation

2 mins

With our correspondent in Port-au-Prince, Peterson Luxama

In Port-au-Prince, armed gangs are gaining ground and continue to challenge state authorities by showing their omnipotence. This weekend, the Solino district, located in the capital ofHaitiwas the scene of an invasion orchestrated by the Viv Ansanm gang coalition.

This advance of armed groups in the area has sowed terror among residents. While dozens of families had to flee their homes to escape the onslaught of gangs, others remained confined, fearing for their lives.

The Haitian National Police attempted, in vain, to regain control of the neighborhood. The operation carried out by the police ended in dismal failure, leaving the gangs to strengthen their hold on part of Solino.

According to Pierre Espérance, head of the national network for the defense of human rights (RNDDH), this situation could have been avoided if the police had intensified their presence in the area well before the coalition took action. For the human rights defender, what happened in Solino is the direct consequence of the lack of preparation of the authorities who failed to anticipate the gang assault.

This Monday, October 21, in the morning, tension remained high in Solino. The gangs still had control of the neighborhood and the sounds of automatic weapons could be heard intermittently. Caught in a power battle, the government and the presidential transitional council did not react. No notes of sympathy for the thousands of Solino families experiencing gang violence were delivered.

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