Attack on hospital in Haiti leads to lynching of eight suspected gang members

In a new violent incident, at least eight people were lynched by residents of Mirebalais and the nearby city of Saut d’Eau in Haiti.

This violent response came after these individuals were suspected of launching an armed assault on a hospital the previous day. While the search for more gang members continues, the situation remains tense in the region.

The Mirebalais University Hospital, located approximately 40 kilometers northeast of Port-au-Prince, endured a terrible experience when it was directly attacked by assailants carrying automatic weapons.

According to Milenio, the hospital, which is usually a place of refuge for vulnerable people, now bears scars from bullet holes in its walls as testimony to the attack.

From the early hours of the next day, residents, armed with machetes and sticks, took to the streets of Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau in pursuit of other alleged members of the attacking group. These individuals could be hiding in fields or abandoned buildings, fearing the wrath of the community.

Haiti has been grappling with an increase in vigilante justice, with more than 250 suspected gang members killed since April, as part of the Bwa Kale movement started by citizens to combat the threat of armed gangs in their neighborhoods.

The attack on the Mirebalais hospital came shortly after the leaders of the main coalitions of armed groups, including the GPEP and the G9, announced a truce to facilitate the resumption of normal activities in Haiti. These coalitions now claim to be unified under an association known as “Vivre Ensemble” or “Living Together.”

In recent days, Saut d’Eau had been the target of repeated attacks by gangs from Village de Dieu, in Port-au-Prince, resulting in civilian casualties and the burning of a police station. These attacks followed allegations of a shipment of stolen ammunition from the Village de Dieu gang, as seen in videos circulating on social media.

According to the EFE agency, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, upon his return from the United Nations General Assembly, expressed strong opposition to the idea that gangs could facilitate peace and coexistence. He emphasized that gangs, by their very nature, are divisive and criminal entities, incapable of uniting people.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently reported that a gang truce established in mid-July appeared to hold. However, the organization warned that these groups could take advantage of the calm to extend their control over areas that are not yet under their influence.

Keep reading:
· UN reported more than 500 deaths from gang violence in Haiti in 2023
· Thirteen alleged gang members are lynched and burned alive in Haiti