21 Nov 2024 | 05:32 PM UTC
Haiti: Gang-perpetrated violence, travel disruptions likely to persist through at least mid-December /update 25
Gang-driven violence, travel disruptions likely to persist in Haiti through at least mid-December.
Gang violence is likely to persist and continue prompting significant travel disruptions in Haiti, especially in and around the capital, through at least mid-December. Clashes have been reported in the Petionville suburb of Port-au-Prince on Nov. 19 as authorities and residents fought suspected gang members in the area, resulting in the death of at least two dozen people. Armed clashes and arson attacks have also intensified in recent weeks in areas such as Solino, Nazon, Delmas, Tabarre, and Christ-Roi neighborhoods. Residents have blocked multiple roads throughout the capital in an attempt to protect areas from gang attacks, causing disruptions to traffic. With the escalation of gang violence overwhelming security forces in recent weeks, local vigilante groups are likely to also be more active in the coming days. Reports estimate that at least 150 people were killed, 92 others were injured, and around 20,000 displaced due to violence since Nov. 11.
Groups of displaced residents and civilians denouncing growing levels of insecurity and political instability are likely to gather in the capital, especially outside government buildings in Port-au-Prince and other urban centers. Multiple schools are likely to remain closed in the coming days in areas affected by violence, and businesses are also likely to limit or temporarily suspend operations. For instance, Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans Frontieres, MSF) has suspended all operations in Port-au-Prince, also denouncing growing police violence and the growing overall threat to staff. Long queues at gas stations have been reported in the capital, and shortages of fuel and other vital supplies are possible in the capital and other parts of the country, especially if severe violence continues for several weeks.
Clashes involving gangs and security forces are anticipated in the capital in the coming weeks. Further violence and severe disruptions are possible in and around PAP, seaports, downtown areas of the capital, and highways connecting Port-au-Prince to the rest of the country. Attacks targeting officials or government buildings remain a possibility.
Air Travel Disruptions
Haitian authorities have suspended operations at Port-au-Prince's Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) through at least Nov. 25; this measure may be extended further as the area around PAP remains highly unstable. US authorities have also banned US airlines from operating via PAP through at least Dec. 12. US officials had previously banned all aircraft at altitudes lower than 3,048 meters (10,000 feet) within Haitian airspace, but this has been reviewed, and flights to Cap-Haitian International Airport (CAP) are no longer banned as of Nov. 21. While some airlines may continue to operate out of CAP and other airports, air travel disruptions remain likely.
Maintain heightened vigilance if operating in the Port-au-Prince area. Prepare for severe disruptions to ground transport, flights, business operations, and diplomatic services. Consider making alternative arrangements for time-sensitive travel. Leave the area immediately if violence erupts nearby; if unable to do so, take refuge in a secure building until it is safe to depart. Adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities and your home government.
Armed clashes have significantly increased in Haiti after the Presidential Transitional Council's (CPT) decision to replace interim Prime Minister Garry Conille with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aime on Nov. 10. Multiple air travel restrictions have also been implemented after three commercial aircraft were struck by gunfire near PAP on Nov. 11.
As the MSS mission ramps up, further deployments are anticipated, with plans to eventually station around 2,500 security personnel from various countries, including Kenya, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, to combat gang violence and stabilize Haiti's political landscape. Only around 400 Kenyan personnel have already been deployed, with plans for additional Kenyan troops to arrive in December. This international effort coincides with the work of the nine-member CPT, which is striving to establish a framework for elections by early 2026. The CPT took over in April following the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry and is set to serve a non-renewable term until Feb. 2026.
The UN reports between April and June 2023, at least 1,379 people were killed or injured, and 428 were kidnapped, with a notable increase in kidnappings in the Artibonite Department. Additionally, gender-based violence is reportedly rising, particularly in the capital.
