Gang violence in Cite Soleil suspends medical operations and displaces hundreds
Intense fighting in the Cite Soleil neighbourhood has left no hospitals open in the affected area, forcing aid groups to suspend services while residents flee to the streets.
Intense gang fighting in the Cite Soleil neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince has forced Medecins Sans Frontieres to suspend hospital operations due to acute safety concerns. The aid group, also known as Doctors Without Borders, confirmed that approximately 800 residents sought refuge inside its facility before security conditions deteriorated to the point where work could no longer continue.
Gunfire in the area has resulted in a complete closure of medical facilities, with MSF stating that not a single hospital remains open where the conflict is concentrated. A security guard stationed within the MSF compound was struck by a stray bullet, underscoring the immediate threat to personnel. In a separate incident at Hopital Fontaine, newborns were evacuated from the intensive care unit, though MSF subsequently treated some transferred patients, including pregnant women who delivered overnight.
The displacement of hundreds of civilians has created a humanitarian crisis in the capital. Residents such as 56-year-old Monique Verdieux report sleeping in the streets or near Toussaint Louverture airport, expressing a deep fear of returning to their homes after witnessing gunmen burn buildings in their neighbourhood.
This latest outbreak of violence continues a period of instability that has persisted since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Gangs have seized effective control over large parts of the Haitian capital, and authorities have struggled to quell the fighting or curb the influence of criminal groups. Efforts to restore order have largely proven ineffective, leaving the civilian population under significant strain.
While a contingent of foreign troops arrived in Haiti in April as part of a United Nations-linked effort, past interventions have had little impact on the prevailing insecurity. The suspension of MSF operations highlights the severity of the situation, as the group notes that while the need for medical services remains substantial, it cannot guarantee the safety of staff or patients in the current environment.
