Haitian police crack down on gangs in capital

Haitian police confiscate weapons and remove barricades in a neighborhood controlled by gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier in the capital Port-au-Prince.

Haitian police official Lionel Lazarre said that on the evening of March 15, the country's police force entered the Delmas neighborhood in the capital Port-au-Prince, which is controlled by notorious Haitian gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier.

Officers exchanged gunfire with Cherizier's gang members, confiscating their guns and removing barricades in the neighborhood. Lazarre said several "thugs" were killed.

"Police are implementing a new strategy aimed at rehabilitating areas occupied by gangs and allowing people to move freely," Haitian police said in a statement.

Haitian police on the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince on March 7. Photo: AFP

Haitians have been waiting in recent days for a new government that can restore stability to a country ravaged by gang violence and largely isolated from the rest of the world. Many hope the new transitional council can fill the void left by outgoing Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Mr Henry resigned earlier this week after weeks of violence by gangs on the island nation, which controls 80% of the capital.

Haiti has been in crisis for years, and the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has added to the chaos. Under a political agreement signed after Moise's assassination, Haiti would hold elections and Prime Minister Henry would transfer power to the elected leader by February 7, 2024. However, Henry has postponed the elections indefinitely, citing the need to restore security to ensure voters can cast their ballots freely and fairly.

Violence escalated in the capital Port-au-Prince on February 29, after Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer and now a notorious gang leader in Haiti, called on armed groups to launch a coordinated campaign to overthrow Prime Minister Henry.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP )

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