The Multinational Security Support team and the Haitian National Police wants gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier and his group to surrender.
The team said they have sustained operations in parts of Port-au-Prince targeting the gangs’ strongholds.
“The MSS issues a stern warning to gang leaders: surrender now or face the inevitable force that will strike them sooner than anticipated,” MSS said in a statement.
The team continued with the operation on the gang on Monday, which revealed the presence of Barbecue accompanied by about 30 gang members.
“They were attempting to advance in two groups of about 15 members each, targeting Delmas two and six,” the team said.
“The MSS/PNH teams responded swiftly with proportionate firepower, forcing the gang members to retreat in disarray and shock.”
They added that several casual ties were reported among the gang members and that some hesitated to obey orders from their so-called leader, refusing to confront the determined MSS/PNH teams.
MSS and HNP continued night and day patrols in Carrefour Paye, Route coloniale, Bois dutre jette, Fosse cheval, Alee nan parent, Ale pe josephat, Villard, Lestere and Liancourt.
The statement said the team joined hands with residents to fill up potholes along Route Coloniale at Carrefour Paye, which have been difficult to use for farmers using it to ferry their farm produce.
The commissioner of Gonaives arrived later with his convoy where MSS /HNP joined to escort them to Liancourt.
This saw the deployment police officers and reopening of Liancourt police station, which had been abandoned some time back due to gang aggression. Residents applauded the initiative to reopen Liancourt police station, saying that this has been actualised through the compact working relationship between MSS and HNP.
The residents broke into jubilation as the Police Commissioner of Gonaive cut the tape signifying the official reopening of the police station.
As a show of appreciation, the residents mobilised themselves and started cleaning the area to make it habitable.
Sections of Haiti are facing increased attacks from gangs amid political instability. Kenya police together with those from Jamaica, Bahamas and Belize are in the Caribbean country to help fight the gangs.
Haiti’s leaders have asked for a UN peacekeeping force, and the permanent council of the Organization of American States adopted a resolution on November 13 entitled “In Support of Haiti’s Request for a United States Peacekeeping Operation.”
Haiti PM Alix Didier Fils-Aimé on Monday launched a major initiative to assist displaced persons in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.
Supported by the Inter-American
Development Bank, this action aims
to meet the urgent needs of thousands of compatriots forced to flee
their homes due to violence.
