Gang leader in Haiti orders killings of at least 110 over alleged witchcraft

Dec 9

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

Gang violence wracked Haiti over the weekend, leading to the deaths of reportedly nearly 200, including more than 100 elderly people, after a gang leader accused them of causing his child’s sickness through witchcraft. According to the National Human Rights Defense Network, gang members rounded people up who they suspected of practicing voodoo and executed them with machetes and knives in an impoverished western area of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.

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The killings took place on Friday, Dec. 6, and continued on Saturday, Dec. 7, after the gang leader’s son reportedly died from his illness.

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The United Nations says in total at least 184 people died in gang-related violence in Port-au-Prince over the weekend and the latest numbers bring the death toll to 5,000 people this year.

This is the largest mass killing in the country since October, when at least 115 people were reportedly murdered in a farming community by gang members. Authorities say the victims were targeted for forming a vigilante group to fight off gangs in the region.

Officials estimate gangs now control 85% of the Haitian capital. A U.N.-backed security force has been working to quell gang violence since 2022 but is vastly undermanned and underfunded.

The U.N. is attempting to turn the mission into a peacekeeping effort. However, its efforts reportedly face opposition from China and Russia.

Tags: Death, Executions, Gang Violence, Gun violence, Haiti, Haitian migrants, Homicide, Kenya, Murder, Police violence, Port-Au-Prince, United Nations

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

GANG VIOLENCE WRACKING HAITI OVER THE WEEKEND– KILLING NEARLY 200… INCLUDING MORE THAN 100 ELDERLY PEOPLE… AFTER A GANG LEADER ACCUSED THEM OF CAUSING HIS CHILD’S SICKNESS THROUGH WITCHCRAFT,

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE NETWORK….

GANG MEMBERS REPORTEDLY ROUNDED PEOPLE UP WHO THEY SUSPECTED OF PRACTICING VOODOO AND EXECUTED THEM WITH MACHETES AND KNIVES IN AN IMPOVERISHED AREA OF PORT-AU-PRINCE.

THE KILLINGS TOOK PLACE FRIDAY AND CONTINUED SATURDAY AFTER THE GANG LEADER’S SON DIED.

THE U-N SAYS IN TOTAL AT LEAST 184 PEOPLE DIED IN GANG-RELATED VIOLENCE IN HAITI OVER THE WEEKEND AND THE LATEST NUMBERS BRING THE DEATH TOLL TO FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE THIS YEAR.

THIS IS THE LARGEST MASS KILLING IN THE COUNTRY SINCE OCTOBER, WHEN AT LEAST 115 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED IN A FARMING COMMUNITY BY GANG MEMBERS.

THE VICTIMS WERE REPORTEDLY TARGETED FOR FORMING A VIGILANTE GROUP TO FIGHT OFF GANGS IN THE REGION.

OFFICIALS ESTIMATE GANGS NOW CONTROL 85 PERCENT OF THE HAITIAN CAPITAL.

A U-N-BACKED SECURITY FORCE HAS BEEN WORKING TO QUELL GANG VIOLENCE BUT IS VASTLY UNDERMANNED AND UNDERFUNDED.

THE U-N IS ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE MISSION INTO A PEACEKEEPING EFFORT BUT FACES OPPOSITION FROM RUSSIA AND CHINA.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.