Haiti Police Face Public Frustration Over Deadly Gang Attack

Haiti’s National Police Face Scrutiny Over Failed Response to Mass Kidnapping

A mass kidnapping in the hillside community of Kenscoff has raised questions about Haiti’s ongoing security struggles. The attack, which occurred on August 23, resulted in the deaths of at least 47 people and the kidnapping of more than 50 individuals.

Police spokesperson Garry Desrosiers held a news conference on Thursday to address questions from reporters. He stated that the police are working to return hundreds of people who fled the area following the attack. However, he declined to provide details about the police’s plans for responding to the incident.

The attack has highlighted the continued influence of powerful gangs in Haiti. One gang leader has threatened to execute all hostages if any gang members are killed during the police operation to regain control over Kenscoff.

Desrosiers stated that authorities have been working to gather intelligence on the attack, but he offered sparse comments on the matter. He also mentioned that one gang leader has threatened an assault on Tabarre, a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince that is home to the United States embassy.

The attack on Kenscoff comes as authorities in Haiti seek to reclaim control of the capital city. The community has experienced about a dozen gang attacks since last year, but violence had been declining in the area prior to the incident.

According to the United Nations, more than 3,050 people have been killed across the country between January and June alone. The UN’s top representative in Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, stated that these figures demonstrate the unacceptable toll of violence on the population.

The international community has been involved in efforts to address gang-related violence in Haiti since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise in 2021. A UN-backed Gang Suppression Force was deployed to the country in April with the aim of dismantling organized violence and relieving a smaller multinational security mission.

Source: Al Jazeera