The Haitian National Police (PNH) announced on Monday, May 11, the deployment of specialized units and nine armored vehicles to the Cul-de-Sac Plain following a weekend of intense gang warfare. Units including SWAT, CIMO, BRI, and the Task Force were deployed to Cazeau, Carrefour Drouillard, and Terre Noire to counter a criminal coalition formed by the “Taliban,” “Chen Mechan,” and “400 Mawozo” gangs. The PNH stated that its goal is to limit gang movement and allow displaced residents to safely return to their homes.
The surge in violence has paralyzed essential services. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) was forced to evacuate its Drouillard hospital and suspend operations after treating 40 gunshot victims in 12 hours and sheltering over 800 displaced civilians. This follows the emergency evacuation of the Fontaine Hospital in Duvivier the previous night. The private sector also voiced its outrage; Delphine Gardère, CEO of Société du Rhum Barbancourt, reported the death of an employee killed by gunfire and called for urgent government action. Thousands of families are currently sleeping in the streets near SONAPI or seeking refuge in downtown Port-au-Prince as gunfire continues to rock the region.
