Haitian gang attack on minibus leaves five dead

Haiti.- At least five people, including a pregnant woman, were killed, and eight others injured when gang members attacked a minibus traveling between Port-au-Prince and Saint-Marc in western Haiti. The assault occurred in the Deluge area of Montrouis on Monday, where the heavily armed assailants riddled the vehicle with bullets, causing an accident on National Highway 1.

This attack highlights the escalating control of major roads by armed gangs, who impose tolls on drivers and passengers, severely inflating transport and essential goods costs. Regaining control of these routes remains a pressing challenge for the Haitian National Police and the Multinational Security Support Force, deployed under Kenyan leadership and UN authorization since June.

Meanwhile, the Transitional Presidential Council has condemned a separate massacre of over 180 people, allegedly linked to accusations of witchcraft, in Cité Soleil. Gang leader Wa Mikano orchestrated the killings, targeting elderly victims in the Wharf Jérémie sector. The Haitian government and the European Union have both demanded thorough investigations and justice for the victims, denouncing the attacks as barbaric affronts to human dignity.