In Pictures

Haitian capital ‘paralysed’ by wave of violence

Port-au-Prince gripped by wave of violence as authorities struggle to regain control from armed gangs wreaking havoc.

Masked members of "G9 and Family" gang stand guard during a press conference by their leader Barbecue in the Delmas 6 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince — Masked members of the 'G9 Family and Allies' gang stand guard during a press conference by leader Barbecue in the Delmas 6 neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]

Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince is largely shut down amid a wave of violence that started last week with an attack on a prison that freed thousands of inmates.

Residents are now trying to flee the city, or only venturing out for essentials, after authorities imposed a state of emergency. Armed gangs now control much of Port-au-Prince and are wreaking havoc.

Powerful gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer known as “Barbecue” accused of human rights abuses, warned on Tuesday that the chaos engulfing Haiti would lead to civil war and “genocide” unless Prime Minister Ariel Henry steps down.

The comments came with Henry still outside the country following a trip to Kenya to request the deployment of a United Nations-backed multinational police mission.

With the country’s main airport under attack, he tried to fly into neighbouring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, but Santo Domingo refused permission for him to land.

Henry was supposed to step down last month. The armed criminal gangs who control large swaths of the country say his failure to do so prompted the launch of a coordinated bid to remove him.

A police academy in Port-au-Prince, where more than 800 cadets train, came under attack on Tuesday. The assault was repelled after the arrival of reinforcements, said Lionel Lazarre of the Haitian police union.

The Haitian government has promised that the security forces will take back control of Haiti. However, the country’s police are notoriously weak and often under-equipped compared with the gangs, meaning kidnappings and other violent crimes are rampant.

Barbecue, the leader of the "G9 and Family" gang — Barbecue speaks on a cellphone after addressing journalists. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]

A police officer walks at a police station set on fire by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti — A police officer at a police station set on fire by armed gangs. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]

Carcasses of burnt-out vehicles are seen in front of the police station at Carrefour de lAeroport, in Port-au-Prince — Burned-out vehicles in front of a police station in Port-au-Prince. [Clarens Siffroy/AFP]

People are seen carrying their belongings as they leave the city — People carry their belongings as they leave the city, which has become too unsafe. [Clarens Siffroy/AFP]

A man pushes his bike past the body of a person who was killed and set on fire in Port-au-Prince, — A man pushes his bike past the body of a person who was killed and set on fire. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]

A man cries next to the lifeless body of a person outside the Carrefour Aeroport police station — A man cries next to the lifeless body of a person outside a police station, which was set on fire by gang members. [Johnson Sabin/EPA]

Armed gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier and his men are seen in Port-au-Prince — Gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier warned that the chaos engulfing the capital Port-au-Prince will lead to civil war and 'genocide' unless Prime Minister Ariel Henry steps down. [Clarens Siffroy/AFP]