A fresh surge of gang violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has forced thousands of residents to flee, with many desperately seeking safety amid intensifying clashes between armed groups.
“I’m moving home for the fifth time because of the gang violence,” said 64-year-old Nocia, echoing the frustration of many.
“I can’t stand it any more. I want to leave the capital.” Others, like Martine, are willing to escape by any means necessary, even by boat.
The violence has worsened in recent weeks as rival gangs battle for control, worsening an already dire situation in the politically unstable nation.
The UN’s International Organisation for Migration reports that over 40,000 people fled their homes between February 14 and March 5.
Meanwhile, aid group Doctors Without Borders is treating casualties at twice the usual rate, with around 90 injured victims arriving each week.
Human rights activist Pierre Esperance warned that the entire city risks falling into criminal hands as police remain largely in a defensive position.
An international security force, led by Kenya with UN backing, was supposed to field 2,500 troops but has only deployed around 1,000 so far, making little impact on the chaos.
Despite a high-level cabinet meeting on Friday, Haiti’s government has yet to announce new measures to curb the violence.
