A new report reveals that forces aligned with Haiti’s embattled government have reportedly killed around 300 gang members using weaponized drones, marking a dramatic shift in the country’s response to the armed groups that have seized control of much of Port-au-Prince.
According to findings by the National Human Rights Defense Network, cited by InSight Crime, the drone strikes have also wounded an estimated 400 additional gang members. The campaign has dealt a significant blow to several gangs that have operated with near impunity across large sections of the capital.
The drone operations are said to have begun earlier this year after the Haitian government enlisted U.S. military contractor Erik Prince to assist in its fight against the gangs. As The Washington Post reported in April, the drones being used are modified commercial models equipped with improvised explosives.
The attacks intensified as gang forces threatened key government buildings, including the offices of the Prime Minister and the Transitional Presidential Council. Other gang-held areas have since been targeted in follow-up strikes.
However, the legal status of the drone operations remains unclear. Experts have raised concerns that the use of force in this context may violate both Haitian and international law, as Haiti has not formally declared an armed conflict. Without such a declaration, lethal force is generally only permissible in response to immediate threats.
Leadership within Haiti’s transitional government has acknowledged the controversial tactics. Fritz Alphonse Jean, president of the Transitional Council, confirmed that mercenaries have been hired to assist the national police.
“When there is a weakness, we look for others to support the national police,” Jean told the Miami Herald. He did not disclose specific payment details, but did suggest that public funds were being used to support the effort. While he declined to confirm a reported $44 million price tag, he did not deny it either.
According to earlier reports, Prince has been recruiting Haitian-American military veterans for deployment to Haiti. His plan reportedly involves sending up to 150 private contractors over the summer and has already included shipments of weapons.
Jean defended the strategy in light of the dire security conditions: “With this level of violence, compounded by what they call transnational criminality, it’s simply not true that our security forces can face these challenges alone.”
The unprecedented use of drones in Haiti’s fight against gangs adds yet another layer of complexity to a humanitarian crisis that has already displaced thousands and drawn international concern.
