US embassy van came under fire in capital of Haiti, leaving one person injured - Media

It is reported that the injured individual was a gardener working at the US Embassy residential complex. He was on his way to work with other staff members.

The wounded man was immediately hospitalized, and his condition was stable. It is believed that the gang, armed with rifles capable of piercing an armored vehicle, attacked from an alley near a winding dirt road between the embassy and the residential complex. This area is not always visible, even when security measures are in place.

The US State Department has not yet provided an official comment on the incident.

Worsening of the crime situation

This is the second such incident in three months where armed groups have attacked US Embassy facilities in the country.

In October, criminals shot at two armored vehicles belonging to the embassy, one of which was assigned to the head of the mission. One of the vehicles had its window shattered, and the windshield was pierced by bullets, though no one was injured.

At the time, the US ambassador stated that the attack was a response to changes in the Haitian police's approach to combating banditry. Following the attack, the embassy evacuated a portion of its secondary diplomatic staff.

The increase in attacks is attributed to the strengthening of gangs on the island, despite the presence of armed international forces in the country. Since their consolidation last year into a powerful alliance, the gangs have opened fire on three US airliners, shot at a UN helicopter, raided two of the country's largest prisons, and carried out several mass killings. They have also looted and set fire to businesses, hospitals, and police stations, repeatedly forcing the closure of the seaport and the main airport in Port-au-Prince.

According to the UN, the escalation of violence last year resulted in over 5,600 deaths, including journalists. More than 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes.

On Saturday, January 18, when a new contingent of 217 Kenyan police officers arrived in Port-au-Prince to bolster the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission, human rights groups received reports of yet another bandit attack in the Gros-Morne area in the Artibonite region, north of the capital.

The spokesperson for the Haitian National Police did not respond to a request for comment. However, two sources from human rights organizations confirmed to the Miami Herald that they had received reports of several deaths and that police intervened to stop the carnage. The worsening security situation in Haiti has gone largely unnoticed.

UN will discuss the situation

The UN Security Council has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, January 22, to receive an updated report on the situation in Haiti, where both the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission and the Haitian police are working to combat gangs and restore peace.

A UN assessment team recently visited the country to present a report after the Security Council tasked Secretary-General António Guterres with submitting a proposal on what a UN peacekeeping operation would look like.

Before leaving office, Joe Biden and his administration pushed for transforming the Kenya-led security mission into an official UN operation. However, it remains unclear whether the new US president, Donald Trump, will support this move. The decision requires the backing of Russia and China, who hold veto power and have yet to support the idea.

Situation on the island of Haiti

In early October 2024, members of the Gran Grif gang opened fire on the residents of Pont-Zonde. At least 70 people were killed in the incident, including children.

In March of the previous year, the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, was under siege due to an uprising by armed gangs against the country's acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry. At that time, the US, the EU, and other Western countries were forced to evacuate their diplomatic missions from the city.