Surge in gang violence in Haiti’s capital leaves hundreds displaced

Hundreds of terrified residents fled northern neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince over the weekend, scattering along the road to Haiti’s main airport as relentless gang clashes pushed yet another wave of families from their homes.

Sandra Saintus, standing among piles of hastily gathered belongings, blamed the authorities for abandoning citizens to armed groups.

“The government of my country put me in this situation. I thank those thieves for forcing us to abandon our country,” she said, her anger echoing the frustration of many who feel trapped between state failure and gang rule.

Nearby, Mikerlange Sidor described a mass exodus from Blanchard, Terre Noire, Pierre 6 and surrounding districts. “They put us in the street,” she said, recounting how gunfire forced entire blocks to flee overnight.

A capital under siege

The latest clashes erupted across several northern neighbourhoods, adding to the near‑constant violence that has engulfed Haiti’s capital.

Aid group Doctors Without Borders reported that its facilities in Cité Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets were caught in the crossfire.

In just half a day, medical teams treated more than 40 gunshot victims, and even a hospital security guard was hit by a stray bullet.

Gangs now control more than 90% of Port-au-Prince, a dramatic expansion since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse — a killing that left Haiti without a head of state and deepened the country’s political vacuum.

International response still slow to arrive

In September, the United Nations Security Council approved a 5,550‑member multinational force to help stabilize the country.

But only an unspecified number of troops from Chad have arrived so far, leaving communities largely defenceless as violence spreads.

A nation on the move

The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 1.4 million Haitians have been displaced by gang activity.

Around 200,000 of them are now living in overcrowded, underfunded sites in the capital — conditions aid workers warn are worsening by the week.

On Monday, families lined the road to Toussaint Louverture International Airport, clutching bags, mattresses, and children, unsure where to go next.

For many, the only certainty is that the violence is far from over.