Gangs strike in Haiti's heartland as hundreds flee under heavy gunfire
[April 01, 2025]
By EVENS SANON and DÁNICA COTO
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Heavily armed gangs struck the city of
Mirebalais in central Haiti on Monday, seizing control of a local prison
as hundreds of people fled the area under gunfire.
Local media reported that gang members released dozens of inmates in the
large-scale attack targeting parts of Mirebalais, just 30 miles (48
kilometers) northeast of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
In a video posted on social media, a man is seen hoisting an automatic
rifle as people around him yelled, “We broke out the prisoners!” Soon
after, they began chanting, “They can’t stop us!”
At least 530 prisoners escaped, according to Arnel Remy, an attorney and
general coordinator for Haiti's Collective of Lawyers for the Defense of
Human Rights.
Mirebalais officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Vant Bčf Info, an online news site, reported that authorities closed
schools in the area and that a self-defense group helped police fight
back gangs seeking to control the entire city.
A spokesman for Haiti’s National Police did not immediately respond to a
message for comment.
Fedlin Jean, a journalist with Radio Vision 2000, reported that gunmen
attacked before dawn.
“The people of Mirebalais did their best to defend Mirebalais but
couldn’t resist the attack,” he said.
Jean reported that at least two civilians who were part of a vigilante
group were injured and that several suspected gang members were killed.
“Mirebalais emptied out,” he said, adding that people fled to a nearby
town as gangs burned homes, cars and buildings.
Jean said that for the past three months, the people of Mirebalais have
asked authorities to deploy more police because they heard rumors of an
imminent attack.
He said suspected gang members wore red T-shirts emblazoned with the
names “Taliban” and “Mawozo” in the back.
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Taliban is the name of a gang led by Jeff Larose that operates in
areas including Canaan in Port-au-Prince. Mawozo refers to the 400
Mawozo, gang, which roughly translated means 400 Simpletons. It is
led by Joseph Wilson, best known as Lanmo Sanjou, which loosely
translated means “death doesn’t have a date.”
Both gangs are part of a powerful coalition known as “Viv Ansanm,”
which formed in September 2023 and was blamed for large-scale
attacks last year that eventually forced Ariel Henry to resign as
prime minister. The coalition also has been accused of launching
continuous attacks in Port-au-Prince this year.
Local media reported that gangs on Monday also attacked the nearby
town of Saut-d’Eau, located just west of Mirebalais. It is
considered a sacred place with a lush waterfall that attracts
thousands of Haitians every year for a Vodou-Catholic pilgrimage.
SPNH-17, a Haitian police union, wrote on X on Monday morning that
it was “launching an urgent appeal on the serious situation
unfolding” in Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau. It asked that authorities
make all resources available “to avoid losing more territory to the
gangs.”
“Sodo and Mibalč must not fall!” the union wrote, referring to the
names of both towns in Haitian Creole.
Diego Da Rin, an analyst with International Crisis Group, said
Monday’s attack on Mirebalais appeared to be more violent than
previous ones. He warned that gangs are extending their power beyond
Port-au-Prince and forcing security forces to respond simultaneously
to an increasing number of attacks.
“This strategy of multiplying battlefronts will make it easier for
them to storm the areas of the capital that are still not under
their control, as it seems their goal is to overthrow the government
and seize power,” he said.
Gangs currently control an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince.
___
Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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