On Wednesday the streets of Petion-Ville, perched in the hills above Port-au-Prince, filled once again with the sounds of gunfire and the sight of bodies. It stands as the only commune in the Haitian capital still far from being fully under gang control.
At least seven people were found dead in Petion-Ville that day, joining another fifteen corpses that had been discovered in the same area just two days earlier under circumstances that remain unclear. In both sets of footage, the scenes were stark: victims shot at close range, some amid flames and others already charred, improvised stretchers carrying the dead into ambulances, and workers transporting coffins.
According to the latest posts from the Haitian National Police on social media, an operation in Petion-Ville left the gang leader Mackandal mortally wounded. The police also reported that after firing on a patrol, three gang members were killed and two vehicles immobilized. Separately, an officer with the National Police Union of Haitians reported that armed assailants killed another officer in Delmas 72.
The violence remains acute across the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area despite police patrols, a state of emergency, and a curfew in the Ouest department where the capital is located. In recent days the violence has moved from the city center to various parts of Petion-Ville, with clashes between gangs or attacks as groups vie for control of neighborhoods, all set against frequent heavy gunfire. In addition to the security threats, about 3,000 inmates, including gang leaders, managed to escape from the two largest prisons in the city at the start of the month after being attacked by armed groups.
Una ciudad paralizada en la que aumentan los desplazados
All of this is reshaping daily life in the city. Commercial activity has slowed to a near halt, schools remain closed, and people continually move in search of safer ground. The International Organization for Migration reports that the latest surge in violence in Port-au-Prince has displaced more than 15,000 people since the end of February. The ripple effects are felt citywide as families flee their homes or their neighborhoods seeking stability elsewhere.
In total, more than 86,000 Haitians are living in 84 displacement sites, effectively turning schools, churches, and public plazas into makeshift refugee centers. Residents endure overcrowded, unsanitary conditions as they wait for safety that seems increasingly out of reach. The OIM notes that within less than a week, 17,000 people left the capital for provinces where relatives or friends offer shelter, despite the dangers of travel with the city and its surrounding roads ringed by gang activity.
The United Nations agency estimates that since the start of the year, displaced people in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area have risen by about 15 percent, with around 160,000 unable to return home. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also characterizes the first three months of this year as a harsh period for thousands of Haitians.
Meanwhile, foreign nationals continue to be evacuated. On the same day, the United States organized a helicopter evacuation of about fifteen U.S. citizens from Port-au-Prince to the Dominican Republic. The U.S. Department of State said it expects to evacuate roughly 30 Americans daily by this method.
All of this unfolds as the country awaits the formation of a transitional presidential council, which will occur after the prime minister, Ariel Henry, relinquishes power. A multinational security support mission led by Kenya is also set to deploy in support of stabilization efforts.
These developments frame a city in limbo, facing a volatile security environment while seeking pathways to restore basic services, protect civilians, and create space for humanitarian aid to reach those most in need. The coming weeks are pivotal for Haitians watching for signs of relief amid ongoing turmoil, and for the international community weighing how best to support a population repeatedly pressed by violence, displacement, and the slow grind toward political stabilization.