December 22, 2024
Port-au-Prince experienced another surge of violence on Friday, plunging Haiti’s capital into a state of fear and chaos. Heavy gunfire echoed through several neighborhoods early in the morning, including Bas-Delmas, Poste Marchand, Nazon, and Avenue Poupelard. This alarming situation prompted numerous schools to suspend classes for the day, urging parents to keep their children at home for safety.
Amid the turmoil, the École Nationale Horace Ethéard, located on Avenue Poupelard, was targeted in an arson attack. Armed groups, whose presence has increasingly intensified in these areas, are suspected to be behind the act. The burning of this symbolic educational institution highlights the disturbing escalation of violence in the capital, where not only schools but also citizens’ homes are under threat.
Haiti’s National Police (HNP) intervened to confront the assailants and secure the surrounding areas. Reports indicate heavy gunfire exchanges as officers worked to push the criminals out of residential zones. Despite their efforts, multiple houses in the same area were set on fire, further deepening the suffering of residents already grappling with the mounting insecurity.
This string of events underscores the immense challenges authorities face in restoring order to a nation paralyzed by gang violence. Meanwhile, the population remains trapped in a relentless cycle of insecurity, desperately seeking sustainable solutions to reclaim a sense of normalcy in their daily lives.