A new surge of gang violence in Haiti has forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes in the capital over the weekend, underscoring the worsening security collapse in a city where armed groups now control most neighborhoods.
Families fled into the streets and along roads leading toward the country’s main airport after armed men set homes on fire in parts of Port-au-Prince. Many residents say they were separated from relatives during the chaos and are now unsure where their family members are.
“I am now sleeping in the street,” said 56 year old Monique Verdieux, who fled her neighborhood after witnessing houses being burned. She said returning was not an option because of the ongoing fighting.
Gangs Tighten Grip on the Capital
Authorities and humanitarian groups say armed gangs now control more than 90 percent of Port-au-Prince, a dramatic expansion of territory since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Since his killing at his private residence in July 2021, Haiti has remained without a functioning elected president, leaving a political vacuum that gangs have increasingly exploited. Security forces have struggled to contain armed groups that are now accused of widespread killings, kidnappings, sexual violence and extortion, with operations also spreading into rural areas.
The latest wave of displacement adds to an already severe humanitarian crisis, with thousands of residents repeatedly forced to move as frontlines shift between rival armed groups.
Medical System Under Strain
Humanitarian organizations say the violence is also pushing Haiti’s already fragile health system closer to collapse.
Médecins Sans Frontières announced it was forced to evacuate its hospital in the Cité Soleil area of Port-au-Prince after intense clashes erupted nearby on Sunday. The group, widely known as MSF, said it treated more than 40 people with gunshot wounds in a single 12 hour period while also sheltering around 800 displaced residents.
During the evacuation, a security guard at the hospital was struck by a stray bullet on the facility grounds. MSF officials said he was treated and is now in stable condition.
“It is unthinkable that our teams and civilians should become victims of these clashes,” said Davina Hayles, MSF’s head of mission in Haiti.
The evacuation highlights the increasing risks faced by aid workers operating in areas where armed groups frequently exchange gunfire in densely populated neighborhoods.
Airport Corridor Increasingly Dangerous
Security concerns have also intensified around Toussaint Louverture International Airport, the main gateway into Haiti, where access roads have become increasingly dangerous due to gang activity and poor infrastructure.
Local businesses, including major rum producer Barbancourt and several leading beverage companies, have warned that insecurity near the airport has severely disrupted operations. The companies said that inadequate government control of surrounding roads has made it difficult for security forces to maintain order in the area.
In a joint statement, they criticized the state response to the crisis as “largely insufficient” and warned that infrastructure decay has further weakened security efforts.
“You cannot secure an airport if you allow the roads around it to degrade,” the statement said.
The airport itself has remained partially operational but under strict limitations due to the risk of attacks along access routes.
International Intervention Expands Slowly
Efforts to stabilize Haiti have included the gradual deployment of foreign security assistance. The first foreign personnel linked to a United Nations backed mission arrived in April to support local police in combating gang violence.
The United Nations Security Council later approved a plan authorizing a 5,550 member multinational force, although deployment has been slow and incomplete. So far, only a limited number of troops, including personnel from Chad, have arrived in the country.
The mission is intended to support Haitian authorities in restoring security, but officials acknowledge that full deployment and operational capacity remain distant goals.
Massive Displacement Crisis
According to data from the International Organization for Migration, gang violence has displaced more than 1.4 million people across Haiti in recent years. Roughly 200,000 of those displaced are currently living in overcrowded and under resourced shelters in the capital.
As violence continues to spread and political paralysis persists, residents like Verdieux say survival has become a daily uncertainty rather than a long term expectation.
