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A top leader of one of Haiti’s most notorious gangs was injured during a violent shootout with Haitian and Kenyan police forces, marking the first major clash since a United Nations-backed security mission began earlier this year. The incident occurred in the gang-controlled community of Torcelle, located in southeastern Port-au-Prince, police said on Tuesday.
The injured gang leader, known as “Deshommes,” is the second-in-command of the Kraze Barye gang, which has been a dominant force in the capital’s criminal underworld. The Haitian National Police confirmed that Deshommes was shot during coordinated operations carried out on Saturday and Monday. Police also reported that 20 gang members were killed in the operations, which aimed to crack down on Kraze Barye’s grip over parts of the city. Authorities seized firearms, munitions, phones, and other sensitive equipment, though no arrests were made.
While police did not specify how they confirmed Deshommes’ injuries, they vowed to continue their operations until the gang’s top leader, Vitel’Homme Innocent, is captured or neutralized. Innocent, one of Haiti’s most wanted criminals, has been sanctioned by the U.S., European Union, and U.N. Security Council. He is the subject of a $2 million reward offered by the U.S. government for information leading to his capture. Innocent has been charged with the 2021 kidnapping of 16 Christian missionaries and the 2022 killing of missionary Marie Franklin, alongside the kidnapping of her husband.
In a statement, Kenyan police leading the international mission issued a stern warning to Innocent and other gang leaders, demanding they halt the violent acts terrorizing innocent Haitians. “This mission is sending a strong message to key gang leaders to stop the barbarous acts of rapes, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, and killings,” the Kenyan team stated.
Despite the show of force by Haitian and Kenyan police, Innocent responded in a recent video, downplaying the threat posed by authorities. Standing next to a burned-out armored vehicle, which police said had malfunctioned during an earlier operation, Innocent accused the police of harming civilians and claimed his gang posed no danger to law enforcement. He also boasted about the gang’s control over who enters or leaves the territories under their influence.
The Kraze Barye gang, with a membership of roughly 600, controls several key areas in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan region, including Tabarre, parts of Pétionville, and Croix-des-Bouquets. The gang has long been linked to various serious crimes, such as killings, drug and weapons trafficking, robberies, and sexual assaults. The United Nations has labeled Kraze Barye one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Haiti, and its violent influence is a significant source of instability in the capital.
Kenyan authorities pledged to sustain the pressure on gangs across the country, with no plans to ease operations until the gang leaders surrender or are apprehended.
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