Two people killed, at least 10 wounded by gangs in Haiti’s Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite

GONAIVES, Haiti — Two people were killed, at least 10 others wounded and several homes set ablaze during a looting and kidnapping attack targeting civilians in Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite early Monday, April 28. The violent attack, attributed to members of the Gran Grif gang, came just about a month after the gang set up an ambush that claimed the life of a Kenyan police officer with the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS).

“The situation remains extremely complicated for Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite residents despite the police presence and MSS deployment,” local journalist Venesse Désir told The Haitian Times.

Victims of the attack were transported to two hospitals in the lower Artibonite department, including facilities in Saint-Marc and La Chapelle, to receive care. Authorities at the local and departmental levels have not provided additional information about the attack and did not respond to a request for comment from The Haitian Times.

According to eyewitnesses, gang members arrived in a bus and confronted Haitian National Police (PNH) officers stationed there, and residents mobilized for self-defense. The clash left two people dead and caused significant material damage, including the destruction of heavy police equipment set on fire by heavily armed bandits from the nearby Savien locality.

“The armed bandits ruled as masters and attacked several other Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite localities, including Carrefour Peuille, Dofouno, Piatre, and Pont Sondé,” Désir said.

A region under siege

Gang groups like Kokorat San Ras and Gran Grif have been a nightmare for the Artibonite Department since 2023. The PNH Police has since ramped up operations against them, particularly with increased support from the Kenya-led MSS. However, the outcome of these operations remains unclear, as officials have not released further updates.

Over the past two years, the Artibonite region has endured multiple massacres by criminal gangs. Communities like Gros-Morne, Terre-Neuve, Liancourt, Savien, Pont-Sondé and l’Estère have suffered repeated attacks, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths, widespread displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Even law enforcement officers have not been spared. Several have died in ambushes while responding to calls for help from besieged towns, underscoring the dangers they face.

Despite public declarations of new police campaigns and international assistance, armed gangs continue to operate with impunity across much of the Artibonite region. Similar to parts of the West and Centre departments — particularly Port-au-Prince and its metropolitan areas, Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau — authorities face significant challenges, including limited resources, lack of coordination and political instability and goodwill. These obstacles have enabled criminal networks to expand.