December 23, 2024
After renewing the state of emergency in the 14 communes of the West and Artibonite departments on July 19, 2024, the Conille government has now extended the State of Emergency across the entire national territory.
This decision, which comes just days after the delivery of new equipment from the United States and the Prime Minister’s visit to Cap-Haitien, raises several questions. Has the security situation deteriorated further? Or is the executive, through the collaboration of the National Police of Haiti (HNP), the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH), and the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, planning to intensify their approach?
On August 27, 2024, the public was surprised to learn that the state had launched an operation against the gangs in Bel Air, Delmas, and Solino—strongholds of gangs led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier and Vitelhomme, among others. During this operation, three police officers were injured, but their lives were saved. However, away from the operation zone in Delmas 75, a policewoman was killed with 13 bullets fired into her vehicle.
The Solino operation was somewhat of a pleasant surprise for a suffering population that had begun to believe the government was standing idly by.
On September 1, the head of the multinational mission, Godfrey Otunge, announced that the MSS and PNH are conducting demining operations around Bel Air, Solino, and Delmas, with operations to be carried out by air, sea, and land.