Heavily armed men attack university hospital

2023-09-27 03:34:33

Gang violence is not declining in Haiti. Heavily armed men attacked a hospital without causing any casualties during the night from Monday to Tuesday, said one of the establishment’s managers, a new illustration of the widespread violence suffered by this Caribbean country.

The attackers invested from midnight to 5 a.m. the perimeter of Mirebalais hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the country, and fired on facilities, said Dr. Réginald Ternier.

Patients “in shock”

“This morning, we were able to observe bullet holes on the facades of several buildings” of the hospital, located a little more than 50 km from the capital Port-au-Prince, while “the intensive care unit for newborns is affected,” he said, specifying that large caliber cartridge cases had been found. No deaths or gunshot wounds were reported after the attack, but Dr Ternier spoke of trauma and material damage.

“Patients, residents and staff all experienced the attack in the middle of the night. They are in shock,” he lamented, deeming the attack incomprehensible. “It is difficult for us to understand the motives for such an attack. We receive patients of all kinds, regardless of their social rank, affiliation or activities,” he declared.

At least 11 dead in a village near the hospital

Before the assault on the hospital, attackers armed with automatic weapons had carried out an attack on Friday on Saut d’Eau, a village located not far from Mirebalais. Interviewed Sunday on Magik 9 radio, the mayor of Saut d’Eau Marie Andrée Ruth Thelus reported at least 11 deaths, dozens of injured and several houses burned. On Monday, Saut d’Eau was the target of a new attack without further details on the potential number of victims having emerged.

Haiti, a poor Caribbean country, is ravaged by gang violence which reigns in terror, with more than 2,400 deaths since the start of the year according to UN figures. For almost a year, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres have been calling for an international force to be sent to help the police overwhelmed by this violence. The United States announced Friday that several countries intended to contribute under the leadership of Kenya to this force, but its establishment will undoubtedly take a few more months, not to mention its effective deployment.