At least 20 people, including children, were killed in Haiti when an armed gang attacked a small town.
Additionally, 50 others were injured as members of the Gran Grif gang rampaged through Pont-Sondé, located in the central Artibonite region, approximately 71km (44 miles) northwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The precise number of fatalities resulting from the assault is still uncertain. Local media reported over 50 fatalities, while a Haitian human rights group estimated 20 or more.
Armed gangs have seized significant areas of Haiti, prompting a UN-backed policing mission led by Kenyan officers to commence in June to regain control.
Gran Grif is regarded as one of the most violent organisations in Haiti. Six officers were killed in an attack on a police station near Port-Sondé in January 2023. Their members were accused of the crime. The closure of a hospital that served more than 700,000 individuals is also attributed to the gang.
The Haitian authorities extended a state of emergency to encompass the entire nation nearly one month before Thursday’s gang rampage.
The United Nations has emphasised the necessity of a “robust use of force” to combat the groups, and Prime Minister Garry Conille has promised to implement a crackdown.
Frances Ibiefo
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