PORT-AU-PRINCE, Nov 8 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Recent gang attacks in the commune of Mariani, in the south of the Haitian capital, forced as many as 2,487 civilians to leave their homes, the International Organization for Migration said.
From November 1 to 6, a number of 507 Haitian families were displaced and seek refuge with their relatives and friends, most of them in Morne à Bateau, in the commune of Gressier.
Since last Wednesday, Mariani commune has been under threat from the Grand Ravine gang, led by Ti Lapli.
In an attack on Nov 1, police officer Junior Berlus was killed and several of his colleagues were injured when a vehicle in which they were traveling was attacked by gang members.
The General Coordinator of the National Police Union Lionel Lazarre stated that Berlus’ body was decapitated after being taken to Grand Ravine and condemned the behavior of the high command of the forces of law and order which, in his opinion, did not react in time, despite the fact that the officers asked for help.
Mariani’s displaced people are added to the more than 200,000 who have had to leave their homes since H2 2022 ahead of the growing gang violence pushing to expand their territories.
A recent report by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) condemned that from July to September about 2,161 Haitians were assassinated, kidnapped or injured as a result of gang violence, a surge of 16% over the previous quarter. — NNN-PRENSA LATINA
