Thousands displaced as gang violence surges in Haiti

A new wave of gang violence in Haiti's Ouest and Artibonite departments has left dozens dead and displaced thousands, according to the World Food Program.

Some shops were looted in the shantytown Cité Soleil on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, and gangs have set fire to houses and vehicles, and left civilians reeling.

The Shalom Church, in Delmas 33, is sheltering more than 2,000 newly displaced persons.

The renewed clashes between armed groups has forced entire families to flee from their homes in a nation that has been left reeling by spiraling gang warfare for five years following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

“These are newly displaced people who have just fled the recent attacks that took place in the Plaine Cul-de-Sac area, in the commune of Cité Soleil in Port-au-Prince," said Janvier Muhima, WFP Head of Port-au-Prince Field Office. "They arrived with nothing and are in urgent need of assistance in order to survive.’’

Families sheltering at the Shalom Church, in Delmas 33, are receiving WFP emergency food distributions consisting of rice, pulses, oil, and fortified flour that could last them for 15 days.

Many of the people arrived with few belongings or resources.

“I had just paid my rent and we had to flee. Now we have nothing — no money, no roof over our heads — and we don’t know if or when we’ll be able to return," said Anidette, a mother of four children.