The United Nations has initiated the evacuation of staff from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, as clashes between armed gangs, police, and machete-wielding civilians escalate. The intensified violence has prompted international organizations to adapt or withdraw, exacerbating the country’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
According to sources, a UN helicopter began transporting evacuees from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien, a northern city deemed safer. Each trip carried 14 evacuees, some of whom are expected to leave the country on scheduled flights.
The evacuation follows the closure of Port-au-Prince’s main airport earlier this month after commercial planes were struck by gunfire during landings and takeoffs.
The evacuations are not limited to the UN. Foreign embassies and relief organizations are also relocating personnel.
A United States Air Force C-130 aircraft landed at Port-au-Prince’s airport on Sunday to extract American diplomats. “The United Nations is not leaving Haiti. Our commitment to the Haitian people remains unwavering,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric assured in a statement.
However, he acknowledged that the organization is temporarily “reducing its footprint” in the capital, with some operations moving to safer areas or shifting to remote work.
Critical Aid Programs Grind to a Halt
Relief operations across Port-au-Prince are severely disrupted. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which provides essential healthcare in Haiti, announced last week it would suspend activities due to mounting threats to its staff and patients.
“Every day that we cannot resume activities is a tragedy, as we are one of the few providers of a wide range of medical services that have remained open during this extremely difficult year,” said Christophe Garnier, MSF’s mission director in Haiti.
Food for the Poor (FFTP), an organization supplying meals to vulnerable populations, has also curtailed operations.
Blockades by armed gangs and the closure of the main airport have rendered food deliveries nearly impossible. “There are still lines for fuel at gas stations, but this seems to be getting better,” said FFTP Haiti director Mario Nicoleau.
However, he added, “There is still lots of shooting in several areas every day, and people are still being pushed out of neighborhoods.”
In response to growing instability, a 430-strong multinational security mission, mainly composed of Kenyan police, has been supporting Haiti’s overstretched police force since June. Despite its presence, the security mission has faced criticism over its handling of the crisis amid a sharp increase in gang activity.
On Sunday, the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti (MSS) announced “major operations” in Delmas, a gang stronghold controlled by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a notorious gang leader and ex-police officer. In a social media post, Cherizier claimed to have repelled the attack and remained at large.
Meanwhile, the Haitian National Police has remained tight-lipped. Deputy spokesperson Lionel Lazarre has not responded to requests for comment.
Unprecedented Displacement and Casualties
The violence has had devastating consequences. According to a UN situation report, more than 220 people were killed in coordinated attacks between November 11 and 19 alone. At least 115 of those killed were gang members, while the remaining victims were civilians.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 41,000 people have been displaced in just two weeks. This figure adds to the staggering total of 700,000 displaced individuals in Haiti since the conflict intensified last year.
“The scale of this displacement is unprecedented since we began responding to the humanitarian crisis in 2022,” said Gregoire Goodstein, IOM’s Chief in Haiti.
The toll of Haiti’s crisis continues to climb, with over 4,500 deaths reported so far this year. Humanitarian groups warn that the country is on the brink of a complete breakdown, as the violence obstructs vital aid and deepens the suffering of ordinary Haitians.
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