“They are pushing hard before arriving at the National Palace,” says a nearby police officer
The bandits launched a muscular attack in the city center on March 8, according to statements to AyiboPost by two police officers in the perimeter.
According to the agents, the attack targets the Port-au-Prince police station and the Departmental Law Enforcement Unit (UDMO) before possible control of other institutions in the sector.
“The situation has degenerated,” declared a police officer near Champ-de-Mars. “The gangs arrived as far as rue Chavannes. They are everywhere on the Champs-de-Mars, we continue to fight with them.
“They are pushing hard before arriving at the National Palace,” said another police officer nearby.
“There is no electricity, which makes things difficult,” adds the agent. I can confirm shooting on the Champs de Mars, but there is no attack on the UDMO base at 7:25 PM.”
Read also: Police officers desert the streets of Port-au-Prince
In the vicinity of Turgeau, powerful gunfire can be heard.
A citizen reported seeing between 30 and 50 heavily armed people near rue Chavannes.
At 9:13 a.m., the Port-au-Prince police continued to resist. High caliber explosions can be heard in the surrounding area. Several armored vehicles are on site.
According to an agent on the ground, detonations can be heard in Lamarre streets and around the Court of Cassation.
A fire can be observed in part of the Ministry of the Interior at 9:57 p.m. this evening, confirms a police officer.
“I saw the scene while passing near the institution,” the agent told AyiboPost. The gangs threw Molotov cocktails in his direction. »
At 6 p.m., while hurrying home to Turgeau, André came across four heavily armed bandits in front of the National Public Procurement Commission (CNMP) building on Avenue Christophe.
“They firmly ordered us to turn around. Everyone present quickly evacuated the street in a disaster,” explains André.
“There is real panic in the area where I live,” André told Ayibopost.
The gunshots that erupted around the Champ de Mars in the darkness also aroused fear among the inhabitants of Poste-Marchand.
Louis has lived in Poste-Marchand for more than three months. Under the fire of bullets which fall regularly, the young man no longer knows what to do.
“I’m lying on the floor at home right now,” he says, laughing. “The situation is truly dire.”
This article will be updated.
Par Widlore Mérancourt et Junior Legrand
Cover image: Haitian police officers on the Champ-de-Mars | © Radio Vision 2000
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Widlore Mérancourt is editor-in-chief of AyiboPost and a regular contributor to the Washington Post. He holds a master’s degree in media management from the University of Lille and a bachelor’s degree in legal sciences. He was Content Manager of LoopHaïti.
