January 29, 2026
The city of Mirebalais has fallen into the hands of armed gangs after a night of terror marked by coordinated attacks on multiple neighborhoods, including Trianon. Despite fierce resistance from residents working alongside the Haitian National Police (HNP), the criminals managed to seize key strategic infrastructure. At dawn, they stormed the police station and the civil prison, freeing dozens of detainees, including individuals imprisoned for serious crimes.
Chaos quickly spread throughout the commune, with continuous bursts of automatic gunfire echoing through the streets. Several homes were set ablaze, along with a gas station, while the Mirebalais University Hospital is now in a critical situation, unable to treat the wounded due to the worsening insecurity. The hospital’s director issued an urgent plea to authorities as doctors and patients fled under threat from the attackers.
For weeks, residents had warned of an imminent attack, yet neither the HNP, the Haitian Armed Forces (FAD’H), nor the Multinational Mission took preventive action. Now, the national highway connecting Port-au-Prince to the Grand North is cut off, making ground travel impossible. Once a vital hub in the Central Department, Mirebalais has become a lawless zone where gangs impose their rule, leaving the population at the mercy of unchecked violence.
