San Juan: A surge of internal fighting within one of Haiti’s most powerful gang coalitions has led to dozens of deaths in Port-au-Prince, highlighting yet another escalation of violence in a country already grappling with instability. A local human-rights organisation reported that at least 49 people have been killed since Monday, among them ten children and several women attempting to obtain medical care for injured gang members.
The deadly clashes broke out within the Viv Ansanm coalition, a major alliance of armed groups that was formed in 2023 with the aim of reducing inter-gang fighting across the capital. While the coalition initially succeeded in lowering levels of direct confrontation, recent developments indicate a severe fracturing of the alliance.
Violence Sparked by Leadership Conflict
According to the rights group, the internal conflict intensified after the killing of a senior gang figure known as Dèdè, a prominent member from the Bel-Air neighbourhood. Dèdè was reportedly beheaded, an act that triggered retaliatory violence and further destabilised the already fragile coalition.
At the same time, influential leader Kempès Sanon was seriously injured during the clashes. His temporary removal from command created a leadership vacuum, fuelling additional tensions and reprisals among factions within Viv Ansanm. Early indications suggest that the struggle for control may be a key factor driving the current bloodshed.
Civilian Toll Continues to Rise
While much of the violence has centred on gang members themselves, civilians have increasingly become casualties. The human-rights group confirmed that the dead include women who were attempting to help transport wounded individuals to medical facilities. Ten children were also reported among the fatalities, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the fighting.
Residents in affected areas have described scenes of panic, with families trying to flee amid gunfire and roadblocks. Access to basic services, including hospitals, has been severely disrupted as armed groups continue to operate freely in several neighbourhoods.
A Coalition Under Strain
The Viv Ansanm coalition was created in 2023 as part of an informal arrangement among gangs to limit territorial disputes and reduce open conflict. For a period, the alliance appeared to stabilise parts of Port-au-Prince by coordinating control instead of competing for it. However, recent events suggest that internal rifts may now outweigh the benefits that once held the coalition together.
Analysts have long warned that alliances built among heavily armed groups with competing interests tend to be fragile. The killing of key figures and the struggle for dominance within Viv Ansanm demonstrate how quickly such arrangements can unravel.
Implications for Haiti’s Security Crisis
The latest outbreak adds to the mounting insecurity in Haiti, where gangs now control large sections of the capital and continue to influence daily life through extortion, kidnappings, and territorial occupation. The renewed infighting is expected to deepen the insecurity faced by residents, many of whom have already been displaced by earlier rounds of violence.
Human-rights monitors have expressed concern that the situation could worsen if the internal conflict spreads or if rival gangs exploit the instability within Viv Ansanm to expand their influence. For now, authorities in Haiti have not issued detailed public statements on the clashes.
As the death toll continues to rise, local communities remain trapped between warring factions, with little sign that the latest violence will subside quickly. The collapse of stability within the coalition that once reduced conflict now poses a new and troubling chapter in Haiti’s ongoing security crisis.
