Members of an armed gang in Haiti killed 12 people and burned down several houses Tuesday evening in Cabaret, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, the mayor of the city told AFP on Wednesday (November 30th).
“
The bandits returned to the area after being driven out a few days ago by the police and members of the population.
This morning we discovered some charred corpses
,” said Mayor Joseph Jeanson Guillaume.
The city of Cabaret has been the target for several months of gangs who continue to extend their control over the territory of this Caribbean country.
On November 11, bandits set fire to a police tank in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince during an armed clash.
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deep crisis
Due to the status of Cabaret as a crossroads, the actions of armed gangs hinder traffic and the operation of businesses, said Mayor Joseph Jeanson Guillaume.
“
One of the most important ports in the country, located in this area, has not been able to operate for several days.
Our inhabitants live with the fear of being attacked
,” he said.
Haiti has been stuck for years in a deep economic, security and political crisis.
The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 has profoundly worsened the situation, with an increasingly strong grip by gangs.
The Haitian police force, which amounted according to the UN to 13,000 active police officers in September, that is to say a ratio of approximately one police officer for 1000 inhabitants, is insufficient.
The Haitian government's request in early October for "
international assistance
" to resolve the security crisis has not yet been followed up.