Who are Haiti’s gangs and what do they want? All you need to know
Al Jazeera
Haitian armed groups have grown more autonomous, experts say, and force alone will not resolve the growing security crisis.
Haitian armed groups have dominated global headlines in recent weeks, as gunmen attack police stations, prisons and other institutions in the capital of Port-au-Prince, effectively paralysing the city.
But the power of these gangs has long rocked daily life and politics in Haiti, plunging the country into a years-long crisis.
The latest example came this week, as Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced he would resign his post once a transitional presidential council is established and a successor chosen.
His announcement came amid pressure from both the international community and gang leaders, who warned that the Caribbean nation could face “civil war” if Henry, an unelected official, did not step down.
Henry’s planned departure, however, has done little to temper the grip of the gangs, which control around 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.
