At least 20 dead, 22 wounded due to gang clash in Croix-des-Bouquets

The Haitian Times
www.haitiantimes.com 
By Juhakenson Blaise 

PORT-AU-PRINCE — At least 20 people were killed, 22 wounded and 46 families displaced due to clashes among gang members aiming to get more territories in Croix-des-Bouquets between Apr. 24 and 26, according to the Department of Civilian Protection known (DGPC). 

“They killed many young girls,” Rene Revis told local outlets. “They burned down the house I’ve just finished paying for. People in high places armed those young kids to destroy my life.” 

Among the victims, a family of eight died, three young women and three kids and 22 injured were taken to Doctors Without Border hospital in Tabarre. A young girl died there as a result of her injuries on Apr. 26, according to DGPC.

Residents from Butte Boyer, Croix-des-Missions, Marecage and Mapou fled their homes while the 400 Mawozo gang and Chen Mechan, or Mad Dog, engaged in the shootout.

Elsewhere, many areas in Port-au-Prince were quite disturbed last week-end with sounds of gunshots. On Apr. 23, individuals opened fire on a mini bus killing a university student, Osny Zidor, in Bois Verna.   

Emmanuel Pierre Saint, coordinator of the Citizen Protection Office (OPC), announced that a total of 106 people or 46 families were divided and moved to the Adventist church of Tabarre and into a space called Kay Castro. There are still about 70 refugees lodging at Clercine square,  increasing the number of displaced people due to gang conflict in addition to the ones fleeing Martissant, Pierre Saint said.

A United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) helicopter at Guy Malary airport was hit by a stray bullet, according to DGPC.

Garry Desrosiers, the police spokeperson,  joined by phone with The Haitian Times Apr. 24, said the police were on site to restore order in Croix-des-Bouquets. On the police’s Facebook page, it says that they have arrested three gang members and that police operations continue on site to dislodge gangs.  

No one seems spared from this scourge of insecurity. A member of the Disarmament and Reinsertion Commission, Jean Rebel Dorcerat was attacked on airport road on Apr. 26 .

“This attack was done by people whose names are mentioned in trafficking of arms and ammunition in the country,” Dorcenat said on Radio Magik 9. 

The threats became more violent, after speaking on the radio, Dorcenat said.