Persistent clashes between law enforcement officers and armed gangs at the Champ de Mars
Champ de Mars, the largest public square in the country, located in the heart of the Haitian capital, was once again plunged into chaos this Monday, April 22, following violent clashes that broke out between law enforcement agents and armed gangs who want to seize this strategic territory where several public buildings are housed, including the national palace. During the afternoon of Monday, automatic weapons fire was heard.
“The gangs have once again launched an attack on the national palace. The police responded. Law enforcement officers were deployed to repel the thugs. This situation created a wave of panic in the area forcing certain citizens who were in the vicinity of the Champ de Mars to move to avoid being victims of stray bullets”told a young man Juno7 that we met in Lalue.
Furthermore, as in a scene worthy of an action film, gunshots were heard on Sunday April 21, 2024 in the streets of Port-au-Prince, particularly at the Champ de Mars and crossroads. from the airport, plunging several neighborhoods located in the Haitian capital into a state of chaos and terror. Citizens, trapped by these detonations, holed up in their homes, fearing for their lives while armed violence continues to reign in the city for more than a month.
For the inhabitants of Port-au-Prince, this incessant violence from armed gangs represents a daily life marked by fear and vulnerability. Schools are closed, businesses are barricaded and movement is limited, as everyone tries to find refuge from growing insecurity. “I don’t go out anymore. Where will I go? Every day we hear gunshots. We are very afraid. We have to stay at home. It’s the best decision”, blurted out a mother.
Note that since the outbreak of acts of violence orchestrated by the “Viv Ansanm” gangs in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince, the once lively streets of the city now resonate with the echoes of gunfire and the screams of civilians caught in the trap of this spiral of violence.
While awaiting the installation of members of the Presidential Transitional Council, the inhabitants of Port-au-Prince find themselves trapped in a cycle of violence whose outcome seems increasingly uncertain. Between hope and despair, they try to survive in a city where peace is becoming increasingly distant.
Photo: Maxime Louissaint | Juno7
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