According to reports from news agency EFE, there was heavy gunfire near Haiti’s national palace in the capital city of Port-au-Prince on Friday. The ongoing political turmoil, caused by the absence of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was the probable cause.
Last Sunday, Haiti declared a state of emergency due to increased violence, with armed gangs aiding in the escape of prisoners from jail. Approximately 10,000 individuals were forced out of their homes, while Prime Minister Henry was in Kenya negotiating for assistance from an international force to combat the gangs in Haiti.
According to a statement from law enforcement, gangs launched a large-scale attack against various government buildings in or around downtown Port-au-Prince on Friday evening. The report was released by US ABC News.
According to the source, the assault on Haiti’s government buildings, such as the presidential palace, interior ministry, and police headquarters in the western district, was well-planned and executed by various groups at the same time.
According to the news source, individuals reported witnessing a flurry of gunfire and loud explosions. As a result, many people evacuated the vicinity as the rival gangs engaged in intense skirmishes with law enforcement.
According to CNN, two police stations in close proximity to the national palace were assaulted.
Henry, who is currently serving as president, was in Kenya at the time of the gang attack on February 29 and has not been able to go back to Port-au-Prince. The US recently urged him to speed up the political transition as armed gangs attempt to remove him from power.
A former member of the special forces and now leader of a gang, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, has declared that the goal of criminal organizations is to remove the unpopular prime minister of Haiti and free the nation’s 11.7 million people from what he deems as his undemocratic leadership.
Last Friday, Guy Philippe, who played a key role in a coup in Haiti in 2004 and recently returned to the island after completing a prison term in the US, called for Henry to resign and expressed his desire to become the president.
In an interview with Reuters, Philippe, a retired police chief at 56 years old, stated that the individual in question should step down from their position. He believes they should remain in their current position and allow the people of Haiti to determine their future.
Philippe plans to grant amnesty to gang leaders if he becomes the leader.
The representative for Henry did not promptly reply to a comment inquiry.
In 2004, Philippe played a prominent role in the ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He secured a Senate position in 2016, but was apprehended and sent to the US before his inauguration.
Philippe was sent back to Haiti from the United States in November, following a prison term of six years for money laundering connected to drug trafficking.
After coming back to Haiti, Philippe has journeyed throughout the nation to garner backing and urge for the authorities to resign.
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Contributions from Reuters were used in this report.
Source: theguardian.com
