At least 70 people were killed by gang members wielding automatic rifles in Pont-Sonde, Haiti, with over 6,000 fleeing their homes following the devastating attack. The Gran Grif gang leader Luckson Elan claimed responsibility for the massacre, stating it was in retaliation for previous attacks on his soldiers by police and vigilante groups. The violence in the Artibonite region has left many homeless and stranded in makeshift camps, with local authorities and security forces struggling to contain the situation.
The massacre in Pont-Sonde is just one example of the worsening conflict in Haiti, where armed gangs control much of the capital and surrounding regions, leading to hunger, homelessness, and widespread fear among residents. The lack of international support and resources has hindered efforts to address the escalating violence and displacement crisis in the country.
Rights organizations have raised concerns about the lack of protection for residents in the Artibonite region, where the Gran Grif gang has been accused of mass kidnappings, rapes, murders, and land seizures. The U.N. has reported that no progress has been made in investigating mass killings in Haiti since 2021, further highlighting the lack of accountability and justice for victims.
The World Food Programme has pointed to the gangs’ extortion of farmers and theft of crops as contributing to food shortages and insecurity in Haiti, with millions of people facing severe hunger as a result. The U.N. has called for increased support for the mission in Haiti to help restore order and address the root causes of the violence and displacement affecting the country.
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