Haiti police score rare victory, retake key communications hub from gangs

In a significant and rare operational success, Haitian police have announced the recapture of a vital telecommunications hub from heavily armed gangs, marking a hard-won victory for a new police chief and the fledgling U.N.-backed multinational mission.

The operation, which took place at the Téléco site in the formerly tranquil Kenscoff area, began before dawn on Monday and lasted approximately two hours.

According to Michel-Ange Louis Jeune, spokesperson for Haiti’s National Police, officers discovered a significant cache of firearms, including automatic weapons with obliterated serial numbers, and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition after overpowering the gang fighters.

Jeune did not disclose if there were any casualties during the assault.

The hub’s seizure by gangs last week had briefly disrupted internet services and air traffic control, though officials later stated the impact on aviation was minimal.

A "strong message" from new leadership

The successful raid was framed by police as a declaration of intent from the new commander, André Jonas Vladimir Paraison.

“This sends a strong message from the new police chief,” spokesperson Jeune stated during a press briefing on Tuesday.

He underscored the force's dedication, declaring, “When the population is asleep, the police are awake. They are working to ensure that people can rest.”

The briefing was attended by Godfrey Otunge, the Kenyan leader of the multinational force, who briefly urged the public for patience, promising, “You will witness results.”

Gangs' history of destructive threats

The retaken hub had been captured last week by Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang coalition designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. earlier this year.

In a chilling video, a gang member known as Didi warned the government it had less than a week to negotiate or he would “burn the entire system down.”

Other footage showed gang members dismantling servers and motherboards.

This group has a history of targeting critical infrastructure, having forced the closure of Haiti’s main international airport for months and storming the nation’s prisons to free 4,000 inmates last year.

Ongoing risks despite victory

Despite this tactical win, the population remains in grave danger. While police claim to have liberated parts of Kenscoff, the area is still perilous.

The ongoing crisis was starkly highlighted by the August abduction of eight people from the local Saint-Hélène orphanage, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child.

Their whereabouts remain unknown, a sobering reminder of the gangs' pervasive grip and the immense challenges that still lie ahead for Haitian authorities and their international partners.