Haiti's Vigilante Uprising: A Community's Stand Against Gangs

In Haiti's capital, community members, alongside police, repelled a gang attack on Petion-Ville, resulting in over two dozen suspected gang deaths. Faced with increasing violence amid reduced police presence, residents form vigilante groups, sparking concerns over wrongful civilian deaths. The UN considers transforming a support mission into a peacekeeping effort.

Tensions soared in Haiti as an attempted gang invasion in the Petion-Ville suburb of Port-au-Prince was thwarted, leaving more than two dozen suspected gang members dead. Residents, armed with makeshift weapons, barricaded streets in a show of defiance against escalating violence.

The national police, assisted by locals, intercepted armed individuals, further highlighting the growing civilian resistance movement known as 'bwa kale.' This surge in vigilantism, however, has raised concerns among rights activists about the potential for innocent casualties.

In light of the increasing chaos, Haitian leaders are urging international intervention to bolster the fledgling local police force, as the UN Security Council ponders potential upgrades to a support mission aimed at quelling the violence.

(With inputs from agencies.)