Haitian police have launched a major assault on gang-controlled areas in the capital, targeting Jimmy Chérizier, a powerful gang leader known as Barbecue.
Authorities report that several gang members have been killed in Lower Delmas, a stronghold of Chérizier’s Viv Ansam coalition, which has seized control of large parts of Port-au-Prince.
The government confirmed that military drones carrying explosives are being used in the operation, marking an aggressive push against organized crime. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé praised the action, attributing it to a special task force formed just two days ago to address Haiti’s deepening security crisis.
It remains unclear whether Kenyan police officers deployed last year as part of a multinational security mission are involved. Just last week, a Kenyan officer was killed in a confrontation with gang members, highlighting the dangers security forces face.
Gang violence has devastated Haiti, leading to a near-total breakdown of law and order, the collapse of healthcare services, and widespread hunger. In 2024 alone, over 5,500 people were killed, and more than a million have been displaced.
Meanwhile, Haiti’s transitional presidential council, which was established to restore democratic order, has made little progress in organizing long-overdue elections. As the crisis deepens, authorities are under growing pressure to regain control and restore stability.