In the small town of Gressier, Haiti, a police station was attacked by gunmen, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people. The escalating violence has led to a serious humanitarian crisis in the area. Following the attack, the international community sent a security mission to Haiti, led by Kenya, with 400 police officers already deployed to the island.
Despite taking place on a Sunday, tensions remain high in Gressier as reported by Mayor Jean Vladimir Bertrand. The ongoing spiral of violence has forced more than 600,000 people to be internally displaced throughout Haiti. Over half of these displaced individuals are children, according to UNICEF.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the impact of this violence on children and their urgent need for a safe and protective environment. The number of displaced children has increased by 60% since March and many have been forced to join gangs in order to survive.
Haiti has been facing political turmoil since the assassination of its president in July 2021 followed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s resignation in March. Currently, a Transitional Presidential Council is in place, led by Edgard Leblanc. The council has appointed former Prime Minister Garry Conille as head of the transitional government with the goal of holding elections in 2026 to stabilize the nation.