At least 30 people are dead and dozens more are missing following a brutal two-day assault by the Gran Grif gang on the town of Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite in central Haiti.
The violence began early Sunday when the gang attacked, setting fire to homes and leaving bodies strewn in the streets. The gang renewed its assault on Monday, extending the siege.
Bertide Horace, a spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite, an activist group, confirmed the subsequent attack. She reported that the gang remained in control of one neighborhood and had established roadblocks, hindering movement and rescue efforts.
While some reports indicate the death toll may be as high as 70, Haitian National Police have currently confirmed 16 fatalities. Police stated that officers, backed by Kenyan police forces, were able to help rescue people in the Jeani neighborhood but faced significant delays due to the roadblocks set up by the gang.
The attack underscores the ongoing security crisis in Haiti, where gangs are estimated to control approximately 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
