Haitian security forces kill notorious gang leader in intensified anti-gang operations
Key Points(5)
- Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé confirmed the death of Mathias Saintil, leader of the Boston gang operating in the densely populated Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
- “One less gang leader,” Fils-Aimé declared on social media, reaffirming his government's commitment to dismantling the armed groups responsible for widespread violence and instability across Haiti.
- Saintil's gang is affiliated with the powerful Viv Ansanm coalition, an alliance of armed groups that controls significant portions of the capital and has expanded its influence into other regions of the country.
- Haitian police said Saintil died from multiple gunshot wounds sustained during a security operation.
- However, the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) reported that he was critically injured Thursday night when an explosive drone struck his vehicle and died the following day.
Haitian security forces have intensified operations against armed gangs, killing a notorious gang leader in a series of coordinated attacks involving explosive drones as authorities push to reclaim territory controlled by criminal groups.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé confirmed the death of Mathias Saintil, leader of the Boston gang operating in the densely populated Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
“One less gang leader,” Fils-Aimé declared on social media, reaffirming his government's commitment to dismantling the armed groups responsible for widespread violence and instability across Haiti.
Saintil's gang is affiliated with the powerful Viv Ansanm coalition, an alliance of armed groups that controls significant portions of the capital and has expanded its influence into other regions of the country.
Haitian police said Saintil died from multiple gunshot wounds sustained during a security operation. However, the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) reported that he was critically injured Thursday night when an explosive drone struck his vehicle and died the following day.
According to the human rights organization, at least seven explosive drones were deployed during coordinated operations targeting several gang-controlled communities.
The RNDDH reported that five gang members were killed and approximately 15 others injured in the attack targeting Saintil, while additional casualties were recorded during separate confrontations.
The operations form part of an intensified campaign by Haitian authorities and international security partners to weaken armed gangs and restore government control over communities affected by years of violence.
Security forces have also targeted Wilson Joseph, leader of the notorious 400 Mawozo gang, which has been linked to kidnappings and other violent crimes.
Joseph's home was reportedly bombed during a recent operation, although he is believed to have survived the attack and gone into hiding.
The latest offensive comes amid an expanded international security presence in Haiti, including the deployment of approximately 2,500 Salvadoran troops following the disappearance of four Salvadoran aviation technicians during a gang ambush in October.
The technicians went missing on October 18 after armed gangs attacked their vehicle near Port-au-Prince. Haitian police subsequently recovered the burned-out vehicle in the Santo district of Croix-des-Bouquets, but the four men remain missing.
The incident has heightened tensions and prompted additional security operations targeting armed groups suspected of involvement in the attack.
Meanwhile, the RNDDH has raised concerns about the potential impact of explosive drone operations on civilians living in densely populated neighborhoods.
The organization has called attention to reports of civilian casualties as security forces increasingly rely on drone strikes to target gang leaders and their strongholds.
Haiti has experienced years of escalating gang violence, with armed groups controlling major roads, neighborhoods and commercial routes, particularly in and around Port-au-Prince.
The violence has forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes, disrupted essential services and severely restricted access to food, healthcare and humanitarian assistance.
The latest operations come as Prime Minister Fils-Aimé has identified restoring security and organizing elections as his government's two main priorities.
In a recent national address, he pledged that the Haitian state would not surrender territory to armed groups and insisted that security operations would continue until public order and state authority were restored.
The prime minister has also emphasized that operations must comply with Haitian law and international human rights obligations.
Despite the intensified offensive, questions remain about coordination among Haiti's police, military and international security partners, as well as the effectiveness of drone strikes in reducing gang violence without placing civilians at further risk.
Authorities have maintained that their objective is to dismantle criminal networks, regain control of gang-held communities and create the security conditions necessary for Haiti's long-awaited elections.
