Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, remains gripped by gang violence as groups continue to vie for control over neighborhoods, intensifying the nation’s ongoing political instability. In the neighborhood of Solino, residents have fled their homes following a brutal assault that began last week.
The streets, once bustling with daily life, are now marked by fear. On Friday, gunfire still echoed across the area, with passersby clutching their children’s hands as they moved swiftly through the danger to reach schools and other destinations.
The assault on Solino has been claimed by Viv Ansanm, a gang coalition formed in September 2023. Meaning “Living Together” in Haitian Creole, the coalition comprises former rival factions that united under a common objective: expanding influence over Port-au-Prince. Since its formation, Viv Ansanm has focused on high-impact attacks, particularly against critical government structures. Their actions have escalated since February, when large-scale assaults on key infrastructure contributed to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The group’s aggressive actions have heightened anxieties among residents and intensified Haiti’s security crisis.
Marie Yolenne Gilles, the director of Fondacion Je Kler, a Haitian human rights organization, expressed concern over the gangs’ growing dominance. According to Gilles, the groups have become increasingly “arrogant” in their pursuit of control. Their confidence reflects a broader failure in the country’s ability to maintain order, as armed factions operate with apparent impunity. The gangs’ brazenness was demonstrated yet again on Friday, when gunfire from gang members struck a United Nations helicopter flying near Haiti’s primary airport. Following this incident, Spirit Airlines temporarily suspended its flights from Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince, citing passenger safety as the reason for the cancellations.
The surge in violence has cast doubt on the effectiveness of an international security mission led by Kenyan police, whose role is to restore stability across the capital. Despite their efforts, the Kenyan-led mission has struggled to contain the violence, leaving communities like Solino exposed to unrestrained attacks. Both U.S. and Haitian officials have called for a stronger intervention, proposing that the Kenyan mission be replaced by a more robust United Nations peacekeeping force. However, the possibility of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti has been met with significant resistance due to the country’s complex history with U.N. interventions, which have left lasting scars among the population.
Amid the escalating violence, Leslie Voltaire, Haiti’s newly appointed leader of the transitional presidential council, held a press conference on Friday alongside other council members. Voltaire addressed the public’s mounting fears, pledging that the government would retaliate against the gangs. “They will receive the response from the forces of order,” he declared, in a statement aimed at reassuring Haitians who are increasingly frustrated by the authorities’ limited ability to protect them. Yet the promise of action comes against a backdrop of systemic challenges, raising questions about whether the government has the means to follow through on its commitment.
In the meantime, ordinary Haitians continue to bear the brunt of the violence. Edna Gelin, a resident of Solino, was forced to flee with her two children and elderly mother. In a tearful account, she described bullets “raining down in her courtyard” and puncturing the zinc roof of her house, making it impossible for her family to remain. Gelin’s experience reflects the plight of countless Haitians now displaced due to gang violence, many of whom are left to navigate the growing dangers in search of safer shelter.
According to the United Nations, Haiti’s situation has worsened significantly over the past three months, with gang conflicts and political uncertainty driving record levels of displacement. More than 700,000 people are now displaced throughout the country, a stark indicator of the severity of the crisis. The latest U.N. report cited “significant challenges” in the political process, further complicating efforts to stabilize Haiti and address the root causes of the violence. The interplay between political unrest and rampant crime has created a volatile environment that continues to strain Haitian society, leaving residents like those in Solino trapped in a cycle of fear and instability.
The recent escalation in gang violence underscores the critical need for effective solutions to Haiti’s security crisis. Yet as calls for a renewed international intervention grow, the situation remains precarious, with residents anxiously awaiting relief from the violence that has upended their lives.
