Haiti’s National Police agency has announced the successful recovery of a hijacked cargo ship laden with rice after engaging in a fierce gunbattle with gangs for over five hours.
In an operation marked by intense gunfire, two police officers sustained injuries while an undisclosed number of gang members were reportedly killed during the confrontation on Saturday, just off the coast of the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to authorities’ statement.
Struggle against gang violence
This victory stands as a rare triumph for the underfunded police department, which has been grappling with escalating gang violence since February 29.
Authorities revealed in a statement on Sunday that the hijacking was orchestrated by members of two notorious gangs, identified as the 5 Seconds and the Taliban gang.
The gunmen seized control of the transport ship Magalie last Thursday as it was departing from the port of Varreux.
Rampant theft and destruction
Reports from Radio Télé Métronome detailed how the gangs not only hijacked the ship but also kidnapped its occupants and looted approximately 10,000 sacks of rice from the vessel’s cargo, which originally carried 60,000 sacks bound for the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien.
Police station demolished
In a separate incident, the Taliban gang reportedly utilized heavy machinery to demolish a police station in the Port-au-Prince suburb of Canaan.
The attack, as reported by the online news site Radio graphie, resulted in the loss of at least four police officers’ lives.
Escalating violence in Port-au-Prince
The escalation of gang violence was further evident on Monday, as heavy gunfire erupted near the National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince, prompting police to use megaphones to evacuate the Champ de Mars area.
Targeting government infrastructure
The recent clash between police and gangs marks yet another episode in a series of attacks targeting vital government infrastructure over the past month.
Gangs have torched multiple police stations, assaulted the main international airport—which remains closed—and raided Haiti’s two largest prisons, freeing over 4,000 inmates.
Prime Minister’s response
The relentless violence has compelled Prime Minister Ariel Henry to announce his forthcoming resignation, contingent upon the formation of a transitional presidential council.
Henry, who was in Kenya advocating for the UN-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country when the attacks unfolded, remains barred from returning to Haiti amidst the chaos.
