A deadly pre-dawn attack on Wednesday, August 13, carried out by armed members of the criminal coalition “Viv Ansanm” in Kenscoff, a mountainous commune above the Haitian capital, left two officers of the Haitian National Police (PNH) dead and three others injured. The assailants also set fire to an armored police vehicle.
The two slain officers were members of the Departmental Operations and Intervention Brigade (BOID). According to police sources, their bodies were taken away and burned by the attackers.
A Town Under Siege
Since January 27, 2025, Kenscoff has been living under constant threat from heavily armed gangs that have been terrorizing several localities of this rural commune. Police have carried out multiple operations in the area but have struggled to regain control of territories seized by the gangs.
Paraison in Emergency Mode
Shortly after taking office, Interim Police Director General André Jonas Vladimir Paraison launched a series of strategic meetings with both national and international partners in the face of mounting insecurity and significant operational challenges.
On Monday, August 11, Paraison hosted Canadian Ambassador to Haiti André François Giroux for a courtesy visit at PNH headquarters in Clercine, Tabarre. The discussions, attended by several members of the police high command, focused on Canada’s support to the PNH—particularly in boosting operational capacity and managing the worsening security crisis.
That same day, the PNH chief also met with the Commander of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS) to coordinate actions aimed at reclaiming strategic areas occupied by armed groups and securing major roadways.
Two days earlier, on Saturday, August 9, Paraison convened a strategic meeting with specialized police units to order intensified patrols, reinforced checkpoints, and continued operations against gang networks.
CPT and Prime Minister in Crisis Talks
As armed groups continue to spread terror in the capital and beyond, Haitian authorities are multiplying crisis meetings.
On Wednesday, Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) President Laurent Saint-Cyr visited PNH headquarters in Clercine, just five days after the appointment and installation of the new interim police director general. Saint-Cyr was accompanied by presidential adviser Leslie Voltaire and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the visit provided an opportunity for the Executive leadership to hold a working session with the police high command on “immediate and lasting actions to curb criminal activity.”
The day before, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, in his capacity as head of the Superior Council of the National Police, chaired another meeting with Justice and Public Security Minister Patrick Pélissier, Defense Minister Jean-Michel Moïse, Secretary of State for Public Security Mario Andrésol, Interim PNH Director General Paraison, and senior officers of the Haitian Armed Forces.
Following that meeting—focused on evaluating and strengthening security measures nationwide—the government announced the implementation of “operational, strategic, and logistical measures to immediately neutralize any organization or individual whose criminal actions threaten public peace and the stability of the nation.”
The coming days will be critical in assessing the effectiveness of these new security measures and the ability of law enforcement, particularly the PNH, to regain control on the ground.
https://ctninfo.com/2-police-officers-killed-3-injured-armored-vehicle-torched-in-kenscoff-haiti/
