A DRONE STRIKE IN THE CITE SOLEIL DISTRICT OF PORT-AU-PRINCE KILLED AT LEAST 11 PERSONS, INCLUDING EIGHT CHILDREN, FUELING OUTRAGE OVER THE GOVERNMENT’S USE OF UAVS IN ITS BATTLE AGAINST GANGS.
THE ATTACK OCCURRED DURING THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF SUSPECTED GANG LEADER ALBERT STEEVENSON, KNOWN AS DJOUMA OR “KING JOUMA,” IN ONE OF THE CAPITAL’S MOST VIOLENT NEIGHBOURHOODS.
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE AREA IS CONTROLLED BY THE VIV ANSANM GANG COALITION, WHICH THE UNITED STATES HAS DESIGNATED AS A “FOREIGN TERRORIST” GROUP, WITH ITS FIGUREHEAD JIMMY CHERIZIER, ALSO KNOWN AS BARBECUE, VOWING RETALIATION.
AMONG THE VICTIMS WAS EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CLAUDIA BOBRUN’S DAUGHTER AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD MERIKA, BOTH KILLED WHILE PLAYING NEAR THE EXPLOSION, LEAVING FAMILIES DEVASTATED AND INTENSIFYING SCRUTINY OF HAITI’S SECURITY TACTICS.
