December 23, 2024
The town of Gressier was the scene of a violent attack carried out by members of the Gran Ravin gang. On the night of Sunday, June 30, 2024, the attackers partially set fire to the city police station after chasing away the SWAT police officers in the afternoon. This information, confirmed by a police source on condition of anonymity and residents of Gressier, shows that it was mainly the police station furniture that was destroyed by the flames.
Events took an even more dramatic turn on Monday, July 1. The armed bandits released a propaganda video showing an excavator demolishing the police station fences. At that time, no police response had been reported, exacerbating fear and outrage among the local population.
The morning of July 1 was marked by unprecedented violence. According to the mayor of Gressier, Jean Vladimir Bertrand, the bandits’ attack caused more than twenty deaths, including massacres of civilians in their homes. At the same time, public transport driver Francin Jean was killed and his body burned by bandits while on his way to Jacmel. Trade unionist Méhu Changeux confirmed this atrocious act, adding that the victim’s vehicle had been stolen, illustrating the increase in attacks against public transport in the region.
Late Intervention by a Hesitant Police
In the afternoon of the same day, the situation evolved. A regional intervention force, made up of police officers from Nippes, the South-East, and the South, was set up by the Director General of the PNH. This task force managed to regain control of the Gressier police station, using automatic weapons to chase away the bandits. The latter, in their hasty escape, abandoned the excavator used to demolish the police station. According to a police source, several bandits were killed during this intervention, and the police station is now under the control of the PNH.
This attack comes less than two weeks after the installation of Rameau Normil as the new acting Director General of the Haitian National Police, who promised to put an end to the activities of bandits. In addition, a Security Support Mission (MSS) composed of Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti on June 25. This bold gang attack could be seen as a signal of defiance to the new authorities and international forces, highlighting the complex challenges of stabilizing the country.