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On November 13, hostilities broke out between the G-9 and G-Pep gangs for control of Belokou, in the north of the capital.
Clashes between armed gangs in Cité Soleil, Haiti's largest slum, are now affecting the provision of medical services in the area, already severely limited by gang action.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the situation forced it to temporarily close its outpatient clinic and reduce its medical teams to limit the risks to staff, patients and infrastructure during the current "particularly intense and indiscriminate" episodes of violence.
However, it confirmed that its hospital in the area remains open to provide emergency services.
"Once again, the population is paying a high price during these clashes between armed groups," said Mumuza Muhindo Musubao, MSF's head of mission in Haiti.
Muhindo also denounced that medical facilities can no longer function normally and the sick have little access to health centers. He reiterated the call on the armed parties to spare the lives of civilians and to respect hospitals, health facilities and their staff.
De violents combats à l’armes automatiques ont été signalés ce mercredi 15 novembre 2023 à Cité Soleil, 72 heures après la mort dans des circonstances non encore clairement élucidées du chef de gang Iscar Andrice, membres du G-9 et aucun camion n’a pu faire le plein au terminal…
— Le Nouvelliste (@nouvelliste) November 16, 2023
The tweet reads, "Violent fighting with automatic weapons was reported this Wednesday, November 15, 2023 in Cité Soleil, 72 hours after the death in unclear circumstances of gang leader Iscar Andrice, a member of the G-9, and no truck has been able to fill up at the Varreux oil terminal for the last 48 hours, Le Nouvelliste has learned, struggling to independently verify the number of victims of this new outbreak of violence."
On November 13, hostilities broke out between the G-9 and G-Pep gangs for control of Belokou, in the north of the capital, whose gang leader died in circumstances yet to be clarified.
The conflict caused the displacement of hundreds of people, while the National Human Rights Network claimed that at least 10 were killed in Drouillard and Sarthe.
In addition, last Wednesday the Fontaine hospital was caught in the middle of the clashes, and both patients and health personnel had to be evacuated by the police. Fontaine closed indefinitely and patients were relocated to other hospitals, so that currently only MSF operates in Cité Soleil and since November 13 they have treated 50 people with gunshot wounds.
At the end of October, the Saint Damien maternity center closed its doors as a result of insecurity, leaving pregnant women unprotected.
Hostilities between the gangs, which in October pledged a ceasefire to allow citizens to freely carry out their activities, are only increasing the violence that the Caribbean country has been suffering for several years and which in 2023 alone left more than 2,500 murders and kidnappings.
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