Armed gunmen stormed the Saint-Hélène orphanage on Sunday, abducting eight individuals, including Irish missionary Gena Heraty and a 3-year-old child, in a chilling escalation of gang violence that has paralyzed communities near Port-au-Prince.

The attack, which involved assailants breaching the orphanage wall before seizing hostages, is believed to be the work of Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang alliance recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. The group has been responsible for coordinated assaults on critical infrastructure and mass displacement across Haiti since its reactivation in early 2024.

Heraty, a longtime caregiver for children with disabilities, had previously survived a similar attack on the orphanage in 2013. Her family and Irish officials have called for her immediate release, describing the situation as “deeply worrying”.

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The violence has devastated Kenscoff’s once-thriving agricultural economy. Farmers like Sala Désire and Joceline Souffrant report abandoning their lands amid constant fear and gunfire. “We are running when we should be caring for our plantation,” Souffrant said, highlighting the disruption of seasonal planting and food production.

UNICEF and Haitian authorities are urgently relocating dozens of children and staff from the orphanage to safer locations. The broader humanitarian toll is staggering: over one million Haitians have been displaced due to gang violence, according to international aid organizations.

Viv Ansanm’s Expanding Grip

Formed in 2023 through a merger of rival factions G-9 and G-Pèp, Viv Ansanm has evolved into a unified platform for destabilizing Haiti and resisting government control. Its tactics include:

• Coordinated attacks on prisons, ministries, and hospitals

• Use of children for intelligence gathering and armed operations

• Destruction of educational institutions and public infrastructure

• Targeted massacres and territorial expansion, including recent offensives in Kenscoff that killed up to 150 people and displaced thousands

The group’s campaign forced the resignation of Haiti’s former prime minister and continues to challenge the transitional government’s efforts to restore order.

Authorities have not received any ransom demands, and no group has officially claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The incident underscores the urgent need for international support and coordinated security interventions to protect civilians and restore stability.

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