Police attack criminal gangs in Haiti
(VOVWORLD) - Haiti’s police launched an operation in a neighborhood of the country's capital - Port-au-Prince - controlled by the notorious gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, that left several criminals dead, an official said on Saturday.
According to coordinator of the Haitian National Police Union (Synapoha), Lionel Lazarre, the police tried to regain control of the capital's main port while the criminal gangs were looting a number of containers. Currently, these criminal gangs control approximately 80% of the region.
Haiti has imposed a month-long state of emergency and curfew in the capital of Port-au-Prince, after armed gangs continued their assault on critical government infrastructure.
The situation in Haiti has worsened after a criminal gang attacked the national prison earlier this month and freed nearly 3,600 prisoners. Street violence has limited people's traveling and access to essential services.