Haitian police have scored a rare and significant victory after retaking a vital telecommunications hub from heavily armed gangs, in what is being described as a turning point for the country’s new police leadership and the U.N.-backed multinational security mission.
The operation targeted the Téléco site in Kenscoff and began before dawn on Monday, lasting about two hours. Police spokesperson Michel-Ange Louis Jeune said officers recovered a cache of automatic weapons with erased serial numbers and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition after overpowering gang fighters. He did not confirm whether there were casualties.
The hub had been seized last week by Viv Ansanm, a notorious gang coalition designated a terrorist organization by the United States. The takeover briefly disrupted internet services and air traffic control. In a video message, a gang member nicknamed Didi had threatened to “burn the entire system down” if the government failed to negotiate.
Police hailed the successful raid as a show of strength under new commander André Jonas Vladimir Paraison. “This sends a strong message from the new police chief,” Jeune told journalists, adding, “When the population is asleep, the police are awake.”
The press briefing was also attended by Godfrey Otunge, the Kenyan head of the multinational force, who urged citizens to remain patient, promising, “You will witness results.”
Despite the success, officials warned that the situation remains dangerous. Gangs continue to control large areas and have a track record of attacking critical infrastructure, including shutting down Haiti’s main airport and storming prisons to free thousands of inmates.
The ongoing threat was underscored this month when eight people, including a three-year-old child and an Irish missionary, were abducted from Saint-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff. Their whereabouts remain unknown, highlighting the immense challenges that Haiti’s police and international partners still face.
