Armed gangs attempted to seize control of Haiti‘s main international airport on Monday as chaos and violence continue to grip the Caribbean nation.
A Haitian law enforcement source who was at the scene told ABC News that an estimated several dozen gunmen from gangs breached the perimeter wall of the Toussaint Louverture International Airport on the outskirts of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
The assailants exchanged gunfire with Haitian police and soldiers as they tried to reach the airport’s main buildings to take over the facility, but were ultimately stopped before doing so, the source said.
At least one Haitian police officer was wounded and later died at a nearby hospital, according to a Haitian police source. An unknown number of attackers were also injured or killed.
The airport was closed at the time of the attack and no passengers were present nor were any planes in use, but staff members there were forced to hide. No planes will be permitted to land there for several more days, and all U.S. airline flights have been cancelled since Monday.
A Haitian police station near the airport was also destroyed on Monday, one of a couple dozen that have been seized or wrecked by gangs since Feb. 28.
A Haitian soldier patrols outside the Toussaint Louverture International Airport following a gunfight with armed gangs in the surrounding area in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 4, 2024, a day after the Haitian government declared a state of emergency amid a surge in violence.
Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters
Haiti has been under a 72-hour state of emergency and nighttime curfew since Sunday evening, a day after gangs attacked the country’s two largest prisons and freed thousands of inmates in the Port-au-Prince area, according to Haitian authorities.
A large number of Haitian police and soldiers have been stationed at the airport to keep it under government control.
The ongoing violence at the airport has prevented Acting Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning to the country, which the Haitian law enforcement source believed was a key motive for Monday’s attack. Henry departed late last week for a trip to Kenya to sign an agreement authorizing the deployment of roughly 1,000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti in a mission backed by the United Nations.
It’s unclear when the prime minister will be able to return to Haiti, according to a source in his office.
The recent wave of violence exploded after Henry announced last week that the country’s general elections would be pushed back until August 2025 and he would stay in office to see them through. Gangs across Port-au-Prince have unified in an unprecedented way, with the openly stated goal of removing Henry from power.
Haiti has not held elections since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021.
In a brazen and alarming move, gangs in Haiti have recently attempted to seize control of the country’s main airport, Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The attack, which took place in the early hours of the morning, has sent shockwaves throughout the nation and raised concerns about the growing influence and power of criminal organizations in the country.
The incident began when a group of armed gang members stormed the airport, overwhelming security forces and causing chaos and panic among passengers and airport staff. The attackers reportedly demanded control of the airport and threatened to harm anyone who stood in their way.
Fortunately, quick action by Haitian security forces and international support from the United Nations peacekeeping mission helped to thwart the attack and regain control of the airport. However, the incident has highlighted the precarious security situation in Haiti and the brazenness of criminal gangs operating in the country.
The attempted takeover of the airport is just the latest in a series of violent incidents involving gangs in Haiti. The country has been plagued by high levels of crime and insecurity for years, with gangs controlling large swaths of territory and engaging in extortion, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities.
The government of Haiti has struggled to effectively combat the growing influence of gangs, with limited resources and a weak security infrastructure. The recent attack on the airport underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to address the root causes of crime and violence in the country.
In response to the incident, Haitian authorities have vowed to increase security at the airport and crack down on criminal organizations operating in the area. The government has also called for international support to help strengthen law enforcement and security forces in Haiti.
The attempted seizure of Haiti’s main airport by gangs is a troubling development that underscores the challenges facing the country in addressing crime and insecurity. It serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for concerted efforts to improve security and stability in Haiti and to prevent criminal organizations from gaining a foothold in key strategic locations.
