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Toronto Sun
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Haitians fleeing gang violence swim across country's longest river
Published Apr 30, 2025 • 3 minute read A man rolls a suitcase as residents flee their homes to escape gang violence in the Delmas neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. Photo by CLARENS SIFFROY / AFP via Getty Images PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Dozens of people swam and waded across Haiti's longest river on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to flee gangs that launched a fresh attack on a city in the country's central region that has been under siege for almost a week. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The onslaught in rural areas of Petite Riviere began before dawn, according to Bertide Horace, spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite, an activist group. 'Gangs are invading the city everywhere,' she told The Associated Press by phone. 'There are people trapped in their homes who can't leave, and the guys are setting fire wherever they go.' Videos posted on social media showed people balancing their belongings on their head or holding them aloft as they crossed the Artibonite River. A couple of boats ferried the few who could afford one. Another video showed the bodies of several people, including that of a young boy, sprawled behind a school where gangs were killing residents in Petite Riviere. A woman screamed in anguish in the background as the man filming began to cry. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Horace blamed the Gran Grif gang for the ongoing attack, adding that the Viv Ansanm gang coalition was providing reinforcements. A policeman who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media said officers on Wednesday were fighting gangs at the Crete-a-Pierrot fort, site of a key battle during the Haitian Revolution. Gunmen first attacked Petite Riviere on April 24, and they have seized full control of the town's northern region, she said. 'The police are still fighting, but they have already taken control of a good part of the city,' Horace said. Several people have been killed, including an 11-year-old child, Horace said. Haiti's heartland under attack Gran Grif is the largest gang to operate in the central Artibonite region. It was blamed for an attack in the central town of Pont-Sonde in October 2024, where more than 70 people were killed in one of the biggest massacres in Haiti's recent history. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Gran Grif was formed after Prophane Victor, a former member of Parliament who represented Petite Riviere, began arming young men in the region, according to a U.N. report. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The attack on Petite Riviere comes weeks after the Canaan and 400 Mawozo gangs struck other towns in the Artibonite region, according to the U.N. political mission in Haiti. The gangs in late March seized control of most of Mirebalais, where gunmen stormed a local prison and released more than 500 inmates. Gangs also raided the nearby town of Saut d'Eau, which attracts thousands for an annual Vodou-Catholic pilgrimage. The U.N. mission said in a report released Wednesday that while the attacks began on March 21, prompting residents to call for help on social media, the government did not deploy specialist police units until March 31. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At least 15 people were killed in Mirebalais, including two Catholic nuns. Most people were shot inside their homes or on the street as they tried to flee, according to the report. The U.N. mission noted that the Canaan gang leader had posted a video on social media on March 20 warning of 'an imminent attack' on Mirebalais. The mission said gangs struck to dismantle a barricade that a self-defense group had erected to stop gunmen from entering the heart of Mirebalais and to block the smuggling of weapons and drugs, presumably from the neighboring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. A trail of violence Overall, more than 1,600 people were killed from January to March in Haiti, including at least 35 children. Another 850 people were injured, according to the U.N. report. Most of the killings and injuries were reported in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with 85% of it controlled by gangs. Gangs were responsible for 35% of the deaths and injuries, while police operations and executions were responsible for 56%. The rest were blamed on vigilante movements. During that time frame, at least 161 people were kidnapped, with 63% of those cases reported in Artibonite, according to the report. Haiti's National Police are fighting gangs with help from a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that deployed last year. However, the mission has struggled as it remains underfunded and understaffed, with roughly 1,000 personnel out of the 2,500 envisioned. Ontario Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Canada Toronto Maple Leafs
The Hill
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Haitians fleeing gang violence swim across the country's longest river
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Dozens of people swam and waded across Haiti's longest river on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to flee gangs that launched a fresh attack on a city in the country's central region that has been under siege for almost a week. The onslaught in rural areas of Petite Rivière began before dawn, according to Bertide Horace, spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite, an activist group. 'Gangs are invading the city everywhere,' she told The Associated Press by phone. 'There are people trapped in their homes who can't leave, and the guys are setting fire wherever they go.' Videos posted on social media showed people balancing their belongings on their head or holding them aloft as they crossed the Artibonite River. A couple of boats ferried the few who could afford one. Another video showed the bodies of several people, including that of a young boy, sprawled behind a school where gangs were killing residents in Petite Rivière. A woman screamed in anguish in the background as the man filming began to cry. Horace blamed the Gran Grif gang for the ongoing attack, adding that the Viv Ansanm gang coalition was providing reinforcements. A policeman who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media said officers on Wednesday were fighting gangs at the Crête-à-Pierrot fort, site of a key battle during the Haitian Revolution. Gunmen first attacked Petite Rivière on April 24, and they have seized full control of the town's northern region, she said. 'The police are still fighting, but they have already taken control of a good part of the city,' Horace said. Several people have been killed, including an 11-year-old child, Horace said. Haiti's heartland under attack Gran Grif is the largest gang to operate in the central Artibonite region. It was blamed for an attack in the central town of Pont-Sondé in October 2024, where more than 70 people were killed in one of the biggest massacres in Haiti's recent history. Gran Grif was formed after Prophane Victor, a former member of Parliament who represented Petite Rivière, began arming young men in the region, according to a U.N. report. The attack on Petite Rivière comes weeks after the Canaan and 400 Mawozo gangs struck other towns in the Artibonite region, according to the U.N. political mission in Haiti. The gangs in late March seized control of most of Mirebalais, where gunmen stormed a local prison and released more than 500 inmates. Gangs also raided the nearby town of Saut d'Eau, which attracts thousands for an annual Vodou-Catholic pilgrimage. The U.N. mission said in a report released Wednesday that while the attacks began on March 21, prompting residents to call for help on social media, the government did not deploy specialist police units until March 31. At least 15 people were killed in Mirebalais, including two Catholic nuns. Most people were shot inside their homes or on the street as they tried to flee, according to the report. The U.N. mission noted that the Canaan gang leader had posted a video on social media on March 20 warning of 'an imminent attack' on Mirebalais. The mission said gangs struck to dismantle a barricade that a self-defense group had erected to stop gunmen from entering the heart of Mirebalais and to block the smuggling of weapons and drugs, presumably from the neighboring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. A trail of violence Overall, more than 1,600 people were killed from January to March in Haiti, including at least 35 children. Another 850 people were injured, according to the U.N. report. Most of the killings and injuries were reported in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with 85% of it controlled by gangs. Gangs were responsible for 35% of the deaths and injuries, while police operations and executions were responsible for 56%. The rest were blamed on vigilante movements. During that time frame, at least 161 people were kidnapped, with 63% of those cases reported in Artibonite, according to the report. Haiti's National Police are fighting gangs with help from a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that deployed last year. However, the mission has struggled as it remains underfunded and understaffed, with roughly 1,000 personnel out of the 2,500 envisioned. ___ Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Associated Press videographer Pierre-Richard Luxama in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, contributed.
30-04-2025
- Politics
Haitians fleeing gang violence swim across the country's longest river
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Dozens of people swam and waded across Haiti's longest river on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to flee gangs that launched a fresh attack on a city in the country's central region that has been under siege for almost a week. The onslaught in rural areas of Petite Rivière began before dawn, according to Bertide Horace, spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite, an activist group. 'Gangs are invading the city everywhere,' she told The Associated Press by phone. 'There are people trapped in their homes who can't leave, and the guys are setting fire wherever they go.' Videos posted on social media showed people balancing their belongings on their head or holding them aloft as they crossed the Artibonite River. A couple of boats ferried the few who could afford one. Horace blamed the Gran Grif gang for the ongoing attack, adding that the Viv Ansanm gang coalition was providing reinforcements. Gunmen first attacked Petite Rivière on April 24, and they have seized full control of the town's northern region, she said. 'The police are still fighting, but they have already taken control of a good part of the city,' Horace said. Several people have been killed, including an 11-year-old child, Horace said. Gran Grif is the largest gang to operate in the central Artibonite region. It was blamed for an attack in the central town of Pont-Sondé in October 2024, where more than 70 people were killed in one of the biggest massacres in Haiti's recent history. Gran Grif was formed after Prophane Victor, a former member of Parliament who represented Petite Rivière, began arming young men in the region, according to a U.N. report. The attack on Petite Rivière comes weeks after the Canaan and 400 Mawozo gangs struck other towns in the Artibonite region, according to the U.N. political mission in Haiti. The gangs in late March seized control of most of Mirebalais, where gunmen stormed a local prison and released more than 500 inmates. Gangs also raided the nearby town of Saut d'Eau, which attracts thousands for an annual Vodou-Catholic pilgrimage. The U.N. mission said in a report released Wednesday that while the attacks began on March 21, prompting residents to call for help on social media, the government did not deploy specialist police units until March 31. At least 15 people were killed in Mirebalais, including two Catholic nuns. Most people were shot inside their homes or on the street as they tried to flee, according to the report. The U.N. mission noted that the Canaan gang leader had posted a video on social media on March 20 warning of 'an imminent attack' on Mirebalais. The mission said gangs struck to dismantle a barricade that a self-defense group had erected to stop gunmen from entering the heart of Mirebalais and to block the smuggling of weapons and drugs, presumably from the neighboring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Overall, more than 1,600 people were killed from January to March in Haiti, including at least 35 children. Another 850 people were injured, according to the U.N. report. Most of the killings and injuries were reported in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with 85% of it controlled by gangs. Gangs were responsible for 35% of the deaths and injuries, while police operations and executions were responsible for 56%. The rest were blamed on vigilante movements. During that time frame, at least 161 people were kidnapped, with 63% of those cases reported in Artibonite, according to the report. Haiti's National Police are fighting gangs with help from a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that deployed last year. However, the mission has struggled as it remains underfunded and understaffed, with roughly 1,000 personnel out of the 2,500 envisioned.
Associated Press
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Haitians fleeing gang violence swim across the country's longest river
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Dozens of people swam and waded across Haiti's longest river on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to flee gangs that launched a fresh attack on a city in the country's central region that has been under siege for almost a week. The onslaught in rural areas of Petite Rivière began before dawn, according to Bertide Horace, spokesperson for the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation and Awareness to Save the Artibonite, an activist group. 'Gangs are invading the city everywhere,' she told The Associated Press by phone. 'There are people trapped in their homes who can't leave, and the guys are setting fire wherever they go.' Videos posted on social media showed people balancing their belongings on their head or holding them aloft as they crossed the Artibonite River. A couple of boats ferried the few who could afford one. Horace blamed the Gran Grif gang for the ongoing attack, adding that the Viv Ansanm gang coalition was providing reinforcements. Gunmen first attacked Petite Rivière on April 24, and they have seized full control of the town's northern region, she said. 'The police are still fighting, but they have already taken control of a good part of the city,' Horace said. Several people have been killed, including an 11-year-old child, Horace said. Haiti's heartland under attack Gran Grif is the largest gang to operate in the central Artibonite region. It was blamed for an attack in the central town of Pont-Sondé in October 2024, where more than 70 people were killed in one of the biggest massacres in Haiti's recent history. Gran Grif was formed after Prophane Victor, a former member of Parliament who represented Petite Rivière, began arming young men in the region, according to a U.N. report. The attack on Petite Rivière comes weeks after the Canaan and 400 Mawozo gangs struck other towns in the Artibonite region, according to the U.N. political mission in Haiti. The gangs in late March seized control of most of Mirebalais, where gunmen stormed a local prison and released more than 500 inmates. Gangs also raided the nearby town of Saut d'Eau, which attracts thousands for an annual Vodou-Catholic pilgrimage. The U.N. mission said in a report released Wednesday that while the attacks began on March 21, prompting residents to call for help on social media, the government did not deploy specialist police units until March 31. At least 15 people were killed in Mirebalais, including two Catholic nuns. Most people were shot inside their homes or on the street as they tried to flee, according to the report. The U.N. mission noted that the Canaan gang leader had posted a video on social media on March 20 warning of 'an imminent attack' on Mirebalais. The mission said gangs struck to dismantle a barricade that a self-defense group had erected to stop gunmen from entering the heart of Mirebalais and to block the smuggling of weapons and drugs, presumably from the neighboring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. A trail of violence Overall, more than 1,600 people were killed from January to March in Haiti, including at least 35 children. Another 850 people were injured, according to the U.N. report. Most of the killings and injuries were reported in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with 85% of it controlled by gangs. Gangs were responsible for 35% of the deaths and injuries, while police operations and executions were responsible for 56%. The rest were blamed on vigilante movements. During that time frame, at least 161 people were kidnapped, with 63% of those cases reported in Artibonite, according to the report. Haiti's National Police are fighting gangs with help from a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that deployed last year. However, the mission has struggled as it remains underfunded and understaffed, with roughly 1,000 personnel out of the 2,500 envisioned. ___ Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
