Published: · Region: Latin America · Category: conflict

Haiti Police Ambush Exposes Rising Firepower and State Fragility in Port-au-Prince

Gunmen from Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier’s Viv Ansanm gang ambushed Haitian police in the Kenscoff area of Port-au-Prince and burned armored vehicles, with at least one attacker seen wielding a U.S.-made M14 rifle. The assault lays bare how heavily armed gangs are challenging what remains of the Haitian state’s security apparatus.

An attack on Haitian police in the hills above Port‑au‑Prince is exposing just how far the balance of firepower has shifted in favor of gangs over the institutions of the state. Reports from 11 August say members of Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier’s Viv Ansanm coalition ambushed police forces in Kenscoff, a commune in the greater Port‑au‑Prince area, and then set armored vehicles ablaze. Video from the scene shows gang members circling the burned‑out vehicles, with at least one fighter apparently carrying a U.S.‑made M14 battle rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, a weapon with long‑range and armor‑piercing capability compared to typical street firearms. The incident is another blow to Haiti’s national police,…

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