Haiti’s authorities regained control of the Gressier police station in Port-au-Prince on Monday, following a recent wave of attacks by armed gangs. The police station had been targeted by gangs over several months, culminating in a deadly assault on Sunday that resulted in civilian casualties and widespread panic.
Lionel Lazarre, a police union spokesperson, confirmed the attack, noting that the armed groups not only assaulted the station but also set fire to nearby houses. This led to chaos within the community. Among the victims was a bus driver who was shot by gunmen while on duty.
The attack on Gressier came just days after hundreds of Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to assist in combating the country’s pervasive gang violence. Videos circulating on social media depicted armed men storming the police station, condemning both the Haitian government and the Kenyan police presence. The footage also showed a blazing fire in front of the largely destroyed station.
This incident mirrors a similar attack in May when heavily armed gangs took over the same police station, prompting calls for the police chief’s dismissal and arrest. Since late February, gangs have raided over two dozen police stations in Port-au-Prince, focusing their efforts on critical state infrastructure.
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