Massacre in Haiti: More than 70 dead, 50 injured after attack by armed AllInfo gang

The massacre carried out early last Thursday by the Gran Grif armed group in Pont Sondé, about 100 kilometers from the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, left more than 70 dead and 50 injured, including women, children and the elderly. The Caribbean country is struggling with a years-long crisis that is only getting worse.

The toll of the massacre could increase as sporadic gunshots were reportedly still heard in the area at the time of filing this story. Journalists have been unable to obtain details due to the violence in the area.

Several houses and vehicles were burned, forcing survivors to seek refuge elsewhere or in Saint-Marc’s public square after walking for hours and encountering bodies along the way.

Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the victims at Saint Nicolas Hospital in the municipality of Saint Marc this weekend, where he expressed his solidarity with the families and his deepest indignation at these acts, which he described as inhumane.

Le Prime Minister Haitien, Dr. Garry Conille, went to the Saint-Nicolas de Saint-Marc hospital on October 4, 2024 to say the blessings of the armed attack by the «Gran Grif» gang in Pont-Sonde. #Haiti #info pic.twitter.com/Up65oZtKiS

— Richard FELISSAINT (@felissaint52252) October 5, 2024

“This new act of violence, directed against innocent civilians, is unacceptable and requires an urgent, rigorous and coordinated response from the state,” Conille said. Conille took office on June 12, succeeding former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who resigned amid an uncontrollable outbreak of violence.

During his visit, the Haitian head of state reiterated his government’s “full commitment” to working “tirelessly” to restore the security and authority of the state and protect all citizens.

Several units of the Haitian National Police (PNH) have been deployed in the municipality of Saint-Marc, where armored vehicles and contingents of the Multinational Security Support Force, led by Kenya, have been deployed with the aim of supporting local police officers who are already in on the ground and carrying out operations to dismantle criminal gangs, according to statements on social media platforms.

Jean Louis Paul Ménard, commissioner of the Artibonite police, was fired after the massacre for his failure to neutralize the armed gangs controlling the region. Caleb Exantus was appointed in his place, taking office on Sunday, October 5.

Rumors of a planned massacre had been circulating in Pont-Sondé for at least two months, according to a report by the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH), an NGO that expressed dismay at the news on Saturday.

The massacre was described as a series of killings and injuries caused by knives and gunfire, the burning of houses, vehicles and guard posts, along with the forced displacement of the population of Pont-Sondé.

“People with babies and small children were also murdered. The bodies are on the ground, they have not yet been recovered by their relatives,” RNDDH said.

The Pont-Sondé massacre is the latest tragic incident that has claimed thousands of victims in acts of violence against people and property committed by armed gangs, who have enjoyed impunity for years, the NGO laments in a document.

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