Gang violence erupts in town in central Haiti
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Violence erupted in Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite, Haiti, as the gang Gran Grif clashed with a vigilante group, resulting in bloodied bodies, arson, and civilian casualties.
- The exact death toll from the attack remains unclear, but the incident adds to ongoing gang-related violence that has plagued Haiti since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
- Vigilante groups have emerged since 2023 to combat gangs but often engage in brutal acts such as stoning, mutilation, and beheading of suspected gang members, further complicating the security situation.
- The Gran Grif gang, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2023, is the largest in the Artibonite region and is responsible for 80% of civilian deaths there, including massacres, rapes, and forced displacements.
- The escalating violence highlights the challenges faced by Haiti and international forces attempting to restore peace amid deeply entrenched gang warfare and vigilante reprisals.
