Haiti police fight gang coalition trying to seize control of entire capital

Police on Monday clashed with gunmen trying to take over one of the few communities in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, that is not controlled by gangs.

Solino has been under attack since Thursday, with residents calling radio stations pleading for help as they fled their homes.

Officers have seized control of several areas in Solino as they keep pursuing gang members, Haiti’s National Police said in a statement late on Sunday.

In a video posted on social media, gang members hoisted automatic weapons in the air and cheered as they claimed control over parts of Solino, warning that all those who are not part of a gang coalition known as "Viv Ansanm" will be "burned to ashes."

The coalition also has attacked other neighbourhoods, including Tabarre 27, forcing hundreds of residents to flee in recent days.

Gangs that control 80 percent of Port-au-Prince also have threatened journalists covering the most recent attacks, calling them out by name and ordering that they be killed.

Viv Ansanm, which means "Living Together," formed in September 2023, creating a coalition between two large gang federations that were enemies. It was responsible for launching large-scale attacks on critical government infrastructure starting in February, eventually leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The coalition also has unified to fight a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police to quell gang violence in Haiti that began earlier this year.

After the coalition was formed, armed clashes between gangs fell by 78 percent from March to August, compared with the previous six months, according to a report published this month by ACLED, a US non-profit that collects data on violent conflicts worldwide.

“The consolidation of the Viv Ansanm alliance has enabled gangs to focus their resources on criminal activities and confrontations with security forces, rather than engaging in infighting,” it said.

The report also warned that “despite the volatile relationships among gang members, Viv Ansanm is likely to endure as long as it faces the shared threat of an international security force.”