Haiti: Over dozen suspected gang members lynched, burned alive by residents

Residents in Haiti's capital city Port-au-Prince lynched and set fire to over a dozen suspected gang members on Monday (April 24), according to police and witnesses. In a statement, the police said that during a search of a minibus in which there were armed individuals, the police confiscated weapons and other equipment. In addition, more than a dozen individuals travelling in this vehicle were unfortunately lynched by members of the population," the statement added.

According to a report by the news agency AFP on Tuesday, witnesses said that the violence in Port-au-Prince started before dawn when gang members burst into several residential areas of the capital, looting homes and attacking residents. Dozens of families left neighbourhoods with men, women, and children fleeing, carrying a few personal belongings in bags or bundles

Speaking to AFP, a resident of Turgeau said, "It was the sound of projectiles that woke us up this morning. It was 3:00 am, and the gangs invaded us. There were shots, shots."

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ | Man who supplied guns for Haitian president Moise’s assassination pleads guilty

Another resident told the news agency that the residents would defend themselves if the gangs invaded them, adding, "We will defend ourselves, we too have our own weapons, we have our machetes, we will take their weapons, we will not flee."

The police have not specified the exact number of suspected gang members killed in the violence.

The United Nations warned on Monday that insecurity in Port-au-Prince has reached levels similar to countries at war. Earlier in the day, the UN released a report highlighting the surge in murders and kidnappings in Haiti.

The report said that armed gangs "continued to compete to expand their territorial control throughout the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, spreading to previously unaffected neighbourhoods."

"With the high number of fatalities and increasing areas under the control of armed gangs, insecurity in the capital has reached levels comparable to countries in armed conflict," the report said.

It added that the citizens of Haiti continued to suffer one of the worst human rights crises in decades and a major humanitarian emergency.

Monday's lynching comes after days of confrontations between gang members and security agents. In recent months, the security situation in Haiti has deteriorated further with routine gun fights between the gangs and police.

The UN further said in its report on Mondaythat clashes among gangs and with police became more violent and frequent, claiming many civilian lives.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.