PORT-AU-PRINCE: A kamikaze drone strike has reportedly killed at least eight children and several adults in an attack on an alleged Haitian gang leader’s birthday party.
Local media Haiti Libre reported the attack targeted Albert Steevenson, known as Djouma, in the capital’s Simon Pele neighbourhood over the weekend.
The attack killed more than a dozen people including at least eight children while the gang leader was distributing gifts.
Haiti’s government began deploying explosive-packed kamikaze drones in March this year with support from private security firm Vectus Global.
The firm is run by Blackwater founder Erik Prince and the drones aim to fight violent armed groups controlling most of the capital.
Neither Haiti’s police, presidential office nor Vectus Global immediately responded to requests for comment on the incident.
Haiti’s prime minister’s office confirmed an investigation was taking place into the attack.
An analysis by Insight Crime in late June found government drone attacks had temporarily shaken up the security landscape.
Legal concerns remained while reports of civilian casualties mounted amid opacity on the attacks from those in charge.
Details of the attack did not begin to emerge until early this week due to tight gang control and rare official comments.
The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti estimates at least 236 people were killed and 223 injured in drone operations between April and June.
Of those casualties, six were confirmed not to be gang members according to U.N. estimates.
News of the attack came the same day as diplomats met at the United Nations to discuss expanding a U.N.-backed security force.
The Kenyan-led force is mandated to help national police restore security but has gathered just a fraction of needed troops.
Deployed in June last year, the force has struggled to make headway in preventing the expansion of armed groups.
“The transitional government was supposed to restore trust in the state,“ said Haiti researcher Jake Johnston on social media.
Johnston added that the government is doing the exact opposite of restoring public trust. – Reuters
