Monday March 22, another day of tension in Port-au-Prince. On the Delmas highway, barricades of flaming tires have been erected. Heavily armed, hooded individuals, some wearing the Haitian National Police (PNH) uniform claiming to be part of the "Phantom 509" terrorist group, spread panic by firing numerous shots. They denounced the death of 4 police officers during the failure of the anti-gang operation in the village de Dieu on March 12th https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33226-haiti-flash-failure-of-the-anti-gang-operation-in-village-de-dieu-several-police-officers-killed-others-injured.html .

In Delmas 32, members of the armed group opened fire on a PNH patrol in surveillance, causing an intense immediate attack. During the shooting, two police officers including a member of the Departmental Unit for the Maintenance of Order (UDMO) were killed according to the first elements of the police investigation reported by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).

Reacting to this tragedy, in a note the BINUH said to be "[...] saddened by the news of the death of two PNH agents on March 22, 2021, killed according to the first elements of the investigation by colleagues [...] This an act of fratricidal violence weakens the cohesion essential to the PNH so that the institution can fulfill its mission to serve and protect. BINUH calls on the authorities to prioritize the cohesion of the PNH and the search for peaceful solutions."

For its part, the American Embassy in port-au-Prince, issued an Alert message "The criminal organization known as Phantom 509 is currently active in the neighborhoodsof Delmas, Pétion-Ville and Port-au-Prince. This group is known for its violent actions and its ability to relocate quickly. We encourage you to limit non-essential travel in these areas."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33264-haiti-flash-violence-vandalism-and-looting-in-port-au-prince.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33226-haiti-flash-failure-of-the-anti-gang-operation-in-village-de-dieu-several-police-officers-killed-others-injured.html

SL/ HaitiLibre