Haitian forces working with police sent from Kenya have launched a joint operation to oust criminal gangs from one of the roughest neighbourhoods of Haiti’s capital, Prime Minister Garry Conille said Wednesday.
Conille spoke at a hospital in Port-au-Prince where three Haitian policemen were recuperating after being injured in a shootout on Tuesday during the joint operation in the impoverished and gang-controlled neighbourhood of Bel Air.
“I am tired of seeing police officers being shot. I am tired of going to police officers’ funerals. We must solve this insecurity problem,” Conille said.
Conille did not provide further details of the operation and did not take questions during his brief news conference, but he called on Haitians to cooperate with police and share information to help reduce crime.
More than 3,200 killings have been reported in Haiti from January to May.
Gangs that control 80% of Port-au-Prince have left more than half a million people homeless in recent years as they fight to control more territory.