Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, has recently been taken over by gangs, with reportedly 80% of the capital under control. 

The attacks are claimed to be directed to challenge Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is serving as the acting president since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021. 

Many Haitians blame Henry for refusing to organize elections for the country.

Since the attacks, Haiti has been under a curfew and declared a 72-hour state of emergency after armed gangs stormed a major prison in Port-au-Prince, which led to the death of 12 people and 3,597 inmates’ escape. It is reported that other police stations were attacked prior to the assault on the jails. 

According to the UN, over 300,000 civilians are now homeless because of intergang-related conflicts. Within the last year, the UN reported that there were more than 8,400 victims of gang violence in Haiti, which includes killings, injuries and kidnappings, which has led to the shutdowns of health facilities.

Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a Haitian gang leader and a former police officer, spoke of his desire to get rid of Prime Minister Henry. 

“We ask the Haitian National Police and the military to take responsibility and arrest Ariel Henry. Once again, the population is not our enemy; the armed groups are not your enemy. You arrest Ariel Henry for the country’s liberation,” Cherizier said.

On March 1, Kenya and Haiti signed agreements to deploy 1000 police officers in order to combat the gang violence plaguing the country that combats the previous overturn in January by the Kenyan High Court.