PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A serious incident occurred this week when a group of suspected Haitian gang members opened fire on American forces assigned to protect the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. This shooting, which was confirmed by a U.S. Marine spokesman on Saturday, underscores the precarious security conditions in the Caribbean nation.
Captain Steven J. Keenan, the spokesperson for the U.S. Marines, revealed in an email that the gunfire exchange took place on Thursday. The Marines responded to the attack by returning fire, and fortunately, no injuries were reported among the Marines involved.
Haitian police did not provide an immediate comment regarding the incident, which reflects the lawlessness that has become rampant in Haiti. According to reports, gangs currently control approximately 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, exerting influence through extortion practices against businesses and violent territorial disputes, often employing heavy weaponry in their operations.
Despite the ongoing turmoil, the U.S. Embassy remains operational in Haiti; however, the State Department has issued numerous travel warnings to Americans in recent years. These warnings cite the heightened risks of kidnappings, violent crime, terrorist activity, and civil unrest as the primary reasons for advisory measures against travel to Haiti.
The escalating violence has had a profound humanitarian impact. The United Nations reports that more than 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced from their homes due to gang-related violence in recent years. This destabilization significantly affects the population of nearly 12 million people living in Haiti.
The security situation has sharply deteriorated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021 by mercenaries, creating a significant power vacuum within the country’s political landscape. Since his death, there have been no elections to establish a new leadership, exacerbating the ongoing crisis.
In response to the deteriorating situation, the United Nations Security Council voted in late September to establish a gang suppression force consisting of around 5,500 troops. This international deployment aims to combat the heavily armed criminal groups that have taken hold in Haiti.
Additionally, a smaller contingent of police officers from Kenya has been sent to help manage the rampant gang violence. However, the challenges remain daunting, as the U.N. Human Rights Office reported that violent gangs were responsible for approximately 5,600 deaths in the previous year alone.
