Haiti Mobilizes Forces to Reclaim Port-au-Prince from Gangs

The Haitian government has launched a coordinated military and civic operation to reclaim control of Port-au-Prince from entrenched criminal gangs, signaling a decisive push to restore state authority and public order after more than three years of escalating violence.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé affirmed the state’s unwavering commitment: “Public safety is non-negotiable. We will not abandon our people.” In a video released by the Office of the Prime Minister, scenes of Haitian National Police (PNH) and Armed Forces (FAd’H) units clearing streets, removing over 1,000 cubic meters of debris, and hauling away more than 200 burned-out vehicles underscored tangible progress in downtown neighborhoods long held by armed groups.

The cleanup, led by the Ministry of Public Works with support from other agencies, aims to reopen critical arteries of commerce and mobility as part of a broader strategy to revive daily life. Roads are being repaired, utilities restored, and public spaces cleared – efforts officials say are essential to rebuilding trust and enabling elections.

Last week, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé and Transitional Presidential Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr met with UN Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher to urgently coordinate international aid. Key priorities include security consolidation, humanitarian relief for over 500,000 displaced citizens, economic stabilization, and the resumption of commercial air travel.

“Security is the foundation for every other recovery effort,” said President Saint-Cyr. “Gangs will not dictate Haiti’s future.”

With 87 percent of polling centers identified and 70 percent of electoral staff mobilized, the government says it has secured US$65 million in funding through a UNDP-managed common fund to support credible elections – a crucial step toward restoring democratic governance. But Fils-Aimé warned that without sustained international backing channeled directly through Haitian institutions, progress risks unraveling.

“We need partners who act with urgency and respect sovereignty,” he said. “Humanitarian aid must flow through the state – not around it.”

As operations continue, the government is calling on all citizens to cooperate with security forces and report gang activity. With the capital slowly returning to life, Haiti stands at a fragile inflection point: between chaos and renewal.