### Armed Gang Attack in Haitian Suburb Repelled by Police and Residents

More than two dozen gang members were killed by police and local residents after an attempted invasion in the Pétion-Ville neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The attack, which began in the early hours of Tuesday, led to scenes of panic as armed bandits entered the upscale residential area. The community's reaction echoed events from April of the previous year when another Port-au-Prince neighborhood, Canapé-Vert, took similar measures to defend themselves against invading gangs.

According to police spokesman Lionel Lazarre, at least 28 suspected gang members were killed in the confrontations. The gangs had been threatening to invade Pétion-Ville for days, prompting heightened vigilance from the police and a Kenya-led multinational security team. Lazarre noted that the gang members were intercepted in multiple neighborhoods, including Canapé-Vert, Lalue, and Bourdon, as they made their way towards Pétion-Ville.

A gruesome scene unfolded when a truck carrying armed gang members encountered a police checkpoint near the Oasis Hotel on Panamerican Avenue. An exchange of gunfire ensued, resulting in at least 10 gang members being killed by police and residents. Corpses were found mutilated and burned, lining the roads, including areas close to the residences of the U.S. ambassador and the Haitian prime minister.

The violent episode began around 2 a.m. when police stopped a truck and a minibus, both carrying armed gang members. These groups had been engaged in clashes with police and multinational forces in the capital's Solino and Nazon neighborhoods. The gangs had openly declared their intention to target Pétion-Ville and neighboring Delmas next.

Hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a drone, and at least two AK47 rifles were confiscated from the gangs. Lazarre suggested that police operations were continuing, particularly in the Bourdon area where many gang members were believed to be hiding.

The attack marks a point of heightened tension in Haiti, as the country grapples with an increase in gang-related violence. Recently, the Transitional Presidential Council dismissed Prime Minister Garry Conille and appointed Alix DidierFils-Aimé as the new head of government. Fils-Aimé has prioritized restoring security and organizing elections, though such goals face significant challenges given the growing control of armed gangs.

Further complicating matters, three U.S. airliners were recently struck by gang gunfire, leading to the closure of Port-au-Prince's international and domestic airports and a 30-day ban on all U.S. flights to Haiti by the Federal Aviation Administration. The surge in violence has displaced an additional 20,000 people, including over 10,000 children.

UNICEF's country director Geeta Narayan highlighted the dire situation for children in Haiti, who suffer not just from the violence but also from malnutrition, cholera outbreaks, and psychological distress. The United Nations Security Council is set to discuss the crisis in Haiti, with Russia and China calling the session. The U.S. is pushing to transform the multinational security mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation, which would ensure better funding and more personnel to combat the gangs.