Gangs quickly regroup in Haiti as international forces struggle to make advances

Haitian and Kenyan forces are struggling to quash armed gangs ravaging the country, with recent events at the town of Ganthier illustrating these complications.

An armored convoy entered the rural area east of Port-au-Prince following an attack last week, helping disperse members of the 400 Mawozo gang.

This led residents to consider returning from neighboring towns, but the convoy's departure within 24 hours allowed the criminal group to quickly regroup and reenter Ganthier.

Jean Viloner Victor, the mayor of both Ganthier and Fonds-Parisien, acknowledged that the intervention prevented worse outcomes but admitted that the situation remains dire, as residents cannot return home.

The Kenyan forces, usually setting up bases in gang-controlled areas, could not do so in Haiti due to logistical constraints, including a lack of food and sleeping arrangements.

A spokesperson for the Kenyan Force Commander, Godfrey Otunge, explained that logistical issues forced the troops to return to Port-au-Prince after encountering heavy gunfire. The Kenyan armored vehicles, supplied by the U.S., were criticized for lacking towers, limiting their effectiveness in combat situations.

The absence of helicopters and other aerial support is another significant challenge, security experts and local officials told the Miami Herald. Réginald Delva, a former public security official, emphasized the difficulty of conducting operations without air support in Haiti's rugged terrain. The gangs are adept at hiding, making aerial support crucial for effective action.

Experts consulted by the Miami Herald said that the mission was expected to struggle against Haiti's gangs but not to encounter such immediate and severe setbacks. The mission's shortcomings were starkly evident during an incident on Monday when Prime Minister Garry Conille visited a gang-ravaged hospital. As Conille toured the facility, gunfire erupted, causing panic among the accompanying Kenyan officers.

Tensions are also rising within Haiti's transitional council. Even though Conille has the support from individual members of the council, The Miami Herald has reported that his relationship with them as a group is souring, mainly a result of disagreements over who has the authority to run day-to-day government operations.

The rifts were illustrated by an incident over a dinner last week, when Conille and the head of one of the council's sectors, former prime minister Claude Joseph got into a "near fight" after the latter expressed frustration over recent appointments and the security situation.