Haitian police reported that over 20 suspected gang members were killed in Port-au-Prince after residents joined forces with law enforcement to repel a nighttime attack on an upscale suburb.
The Pétion-Ville neighborhood was locked down on Tuesday as residents erected barricades, urged people to stay indoors, and mobilized to defend the area against another gang assault. Many residents armed themselves with machetes and hammers.
According to Reuters, at least 25 bodies were found in the Pétion-Ville, Delmas, and Canapé Vert areas, with some corpses set ablaze under burning tires by the residents.
Deputy spokesperson for the Haitian National Police, Lionel Lazar, confirmed that around 30 individuals, identified as gang members, sustained severe injuries throughout the day.
“The residents stood alongside the Haitian National Police during these critical moments and will continue to support us,” Lazar stated. He added that police intercepted armed gang members traveling in small trucks and confiscated weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles.
