Haiti's Police Storm Gang Leader's Base Amid Rising Violence

Haitian police have launched a significant operation in a gang-controlled area of Port-au-Prince, targeting notorious gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue.

In a decisive move against the pervasive violence in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian government has initiated a large-scale police operation in a shantytown dominated by the infamous gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, commonly referred to as Barbecue. Reports indicate that several gang members have lost their lives during the raid conducted in the Lower Delmas neighborhood of the capital.

The offensive has seen the deployment of military drones equipped with explosives, underscoring the serious nature of the operation. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé commended the raid, noting it is part of a broader effort involving a special task force established just days earlier to combat escalating insecurity.

Chérizier, age 47, heads the coalition of gangs known as Viv Ansam (Live Together), which exerts significant control over vast areas of the city. Uncertainty surrounds the role of Kenyan police officers who were sent to Haiti last year to assist in addressing gang violence, as it remains unclear if they are part of the current operation.

This heightened military engagement comes in the wake of a tragic incident last week, where a Kenyan police officer was killed during a confrontation with gang members while on patrol with the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission.

The influence of gangs in Port-au-Prince has severely destabilized the region, resulting in almost total lawlessness, collapsing healthcare services, and a severe food security crisis. Reports from 2024 indicate that more than 5,500 individuals have died due to gang-related violence, with over a million people displaced from their homes.

The transitional presidential council in Haiti, intended to restore democratic governance, has made minimal advancements toward organizing the long-overdue elections, continuing to grapple with the nation's rampant gang warfare.