Several gang members were reportedly killed after an intense raid by Haiti Police in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the conflict-stricken country, days after a Kenyan officer was killed.
On March 1, Haitian National Police (PNH) conducted a thorough operation in the Delmas 6 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, believed to be the stronghold of notorious gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier.
According to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé who issued an announcement on X, the operation led to the deaths of several gang members.
“The Task Force created by the government and the [Presidential Transitional Council] (CPT), in less than 48 hours, is already yielding results," Fils-Aimé's statement said on Sunday.
He added: "A large-scale operation is underway in Bas-Delmas, and several gang members have already been neutralized. Security forces are mobilized, and a state of readiness has been declared."
Notably, several reputable outlets, including the BBC, are reporting that Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier was among the gang members caught in the crossfire in the deadly operation.
Chérizier, a former police officer, is the leader of the G9 Family and Allies gang federation and one of the most wanted men in Haiti. He has been credited for kidnappings, extortion, and other criminal activity at Port-au-Prince.
Emmanuel Vertilaire, another member of the CPT in charge of Justice, Public Security, and the Rule of Law, also confirmed that the operation was strategic and was being conducted on a large scale to halt the advance of criminal groups.
It however remains unclear whether Kenyan police officers deployed in Haiti last year are involved in the security operation, just days after one of their own lost his life in battle. The officer, drawn from the Artibonite department, was injured during an operation in SÉGUR - SAVIEN.
The MSS had reported that the officer had been injured during the operation at Pont Sonde and was receiving treatment.
Port-au-Prince has been in a state of uncertainty since February 2024, amid escalating violence from criminal gangs. The war between gangs and law enforcement officers has led to the collapse of basic health services, with a food crisis emerging as a ripple effect of the war.
As of March 2025, at least 5500 people have been confirmed dead from the gang violence in the Caribbean nation. A million others have been forced to flee their homes.
