A resident of Cite Soleil kneels before a police armoured vehicle demanding the police go and fight the gangs that control their neighbourhood, in Port-au-Prince.
Hundreds of residents have fled their homes in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, following a fresh wave of gang violence that has worsened insecurity in the city’s most volatile neighbourhoods.
In the Cite Soleil district, residents took to the streets on Tuesday to demand stronger government protection, saying they witnessed killings and widespread violence over the weekend. Haitian authorities have not yet confirmed casualty figures.
The latest unrest highlights the deepening security crisis in Haiti, where armed gangs have expanded their control since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Police estimate that criminal groups now control up to 70 percent of Port-au-Prince, with operations including kidnapping, extortion, and sexual violence spreading into surrounding rural areas.
The violence has also severely disrupted essential services. Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, confirmed it was forced to evacuate its hospital in Cite Soleil after intense clashes over the weekend. Another key medical facility in the area also suspended operations, evacuating patients, including newborn babies, due to safety concerns.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the collapse of health services is compounding an already critical crisis, leaving thousands without access to urgent medical care.
The security situation comes as an international force, backed by the United Nations, begins phased deployment to Haiti. The mission, approved by the UN Security Council, is expected to include thousands of personnel aimed at supporting local security forces and restoring order, though full deployment has been slow.
So far, limited contingents have arrived, including personnel from Chad, but the force remains far below its planned capacity.
The worsening violence has triggered one of the world’s largest displacement crises. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1.4 million Haitians have been forced from their homes, with around 200,000 currently living in overcrowded and under-resourced shelters in the capital.
Analysts warn that without rapid international support and improved governance, Haiti risks further descent into instability, with civilians continuing to bear the heaviest cost of the ongoing gang war.
