In a daring operation, Haiti's National Police agency successfully recovered a hijacked cargo ship loaded with rice after engaging in a fierce gunbattle with gangs off the coast of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The intense confrontation lasted over five hours, resulting in two police officers sustaining injuries and an undisclosed number of gang members being killed.
The police department, despite facing financial constraints, managed to secure a rare victory in combating gang violence that has plagued the country since late February. The hijacking of the transport ship Magalie by members of the 5 Seconds and Taliban gangs occurred as it departed the port of Varreux. The gangs not only seized the ship but also kidnapped its crew and looted around 10,000 sacks of rice from the cargo of 60,000 sacks destined for Cap-Haitien.
Reports also emerged of the Taliban gang using heavy machinery to destroy a police station in the suburb of Canaan, resulting in the loss of several officers' lives. The escalating gang violence prompted authorities to evacuate the Champ de Mars area near the National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince as gunfire erupted in the vicinity.
This recent clash between law enforcement and criminal elements follows a series of attacks on critical government infrastructure, including the burning of police stations, assaults on the international airport, and prison breakouts that saw over 4,000 inmates freed. The deteriorating security situation led Prime Minister Ariel Henry to announce his impending resignation once a transitional presidential council is established.
Prime Minister Henry, who was advocating for the deployment of a U.N.-backed police force from Kenya, found himself stranded outside Haiti due to the unfolding crisis. The ongoing violence underscores the challenges faced by Haitian authorities in restoring law and order amidst the escalating gang warfare.
