PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A powerful gang coalition attacked a once peaceful farming community nestled in the hills above Haiti’s capital, killing multiple people, an official told The Associated Press on Monday.Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon said armed men raided the community late Sunday, setting fire to homes and killing residents.“It is still impossible to establish a definitive death toll due to access difficulties and communication problems,” he said.Wails filled the air in Kenscoff as survivors found the bodies of friends and family strewn on the streets early Monday. Massillon blamed the attack on members of Viv Ansanm, which the U.S. government designated as a foreign terrorist organization last year.“They sowed chaos,” Massillon said.He said gang members targeted a church and homes including those owned by Dr. Jean “Bill” Pape. He is a renowned doctor who runs a non-governmental organization in Haiti that helps patients including those with HIV and tuberculosis.
No further details about the attack were available. A spokesperson for the U.N.-backed gang suppression force did not immediately return a message seeking comment.Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, with Viv Ansanm repeatedly targeting nearby Kenscoff.
