A deadly attack by armed gang members in Pont-Sonde, a town in Haiti's Artibonite region, has left at least 70 people dead and forced over 6,000 residents to flee their homes. The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, October 3, as heavily armed members of the Gran Grif gang stormed the area, leaving a trail of destruction.
The gang's leader, Luckson Elan, claimed responsibility for the massacre, stating that it was retaliation for the community's inaction while police and vigilante groups targeted his members. The assault saw gang members going door-to-door, shooting people and setting fire to homes and vehicles.
Videos shared online show people desperately fleeing, with pedestrians and bikers running for their lives. Local authorities confirmed that the gang had set fire to dozens of homes, forcing about 6,270 people to flee to nearby towns like Saint-Marc, with many taking refuge in makeshift camps or with relatives.
Prime Minister Garry Conille condemned the attack, calling it an "odious crime" against innocent civilians and the entire Haitian nation. He assured the public that security forces were being reinforced in the region to contain the situation. Haiti’s national police also announced the replacement of the director in charge of the Artibonite department, as security forces work to regain control.
Despite the reinforcements, the gang reportedly encountered little resistance during the massacre, with police officers remaining at their stations, possibly fearing they were outgunned. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with gang members indiscriminately killing civilians and burning properties.
Human rights organization RNDDH warned that the death toll may be higher, as entire families were wiped out in the attack, with many bodies still lying in the streets, awaiting recovery by loved ones.
This tragic incident highlights the escalating gang violence in Haiti, further deepening the country's humanitarian crisis.
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