Between November 29 and 30, 2022, 20 people were killed by armed gangs in the town of Cabaret, a suburb of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
| 2022 Cabaret attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Gang war in Haiti | |
| Location | Cabaret, Haiti |
| Date | November 28–29, 2022 |
| Deaths | 20+ |
| Perpetrators | Base 5 Secondes gang and Canaan gang |
Context
editSuffering from gang violence since the mid-2010's, the crisis in Haiti was exacerbated in 2021 following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Most of the gang violence took place in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and occasionally spread to other localities, including Cabaret. In Cabaret, prior to the attack, the mayor claimed that the police with the aid of residents kicked the gangsters out of the town.[1] Civilians were also appointed as guards to aid the police.[2] Two gangs in particular were responsible, the Base 5 Secondes gang and Canaan gang, both of which were subject to the anti-gang removals by the Cabaret police.[3] The primary reason the town of Cabaret and its surrounding villages are strategic for gang interests is the presence of the Lafiteau Port, the surrounding industrial area, and the highway connection to Port-au-Prince.[4] Due to the violence prior to the ejections, the port had been unable to operate and civilians were often the target of extrajudicial killings by gangs.[4]
Attack
editThe two gangs returned to Cabaret on the night between November 29 and 30, and attacked civilians.[4] The acting mayor of the town, Joseph Jeanson Guillaume, stated that the gangs acted with "unparalled cruelty."[4] The morning after the attack, the bodies of twelve civilians were discovered, and dozens of homes were set on fire.[5] The number of dead increased to over 20, as more carnage was discovered.[6]
Aftermath
editIn response to the attack, Guillaume called on Haiti's National Police to intervene against the gangs.[2]
References
edit- ^ Topchi, Ali. "'Gangsters' kill residents, burn homes in Haiti town". 'Gangsters' kill residents, burn homes in Haiti town. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ a b "At least 12 killed as gangs battle for control around Haiti's capital". www.cbsnews.com. 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Arocha, María Fernanda (2022-11-16). "Regional Overview: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean 5-11 November 2022". ACLED. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ a b c d "Massacre de civils en Haïti: les gangs tuent et incendient pour reprendre le contrôle de Cabaret". RFI (in French). 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Armed gangs kill 12 in Haiti as public security crisis deepens". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Arocha, Yohaire Zumbado-Madrigal, María Fernanda (2022-12-07). "Regional Overview: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean 26 November-2 December 2022". ACLED. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
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