Drone Strike on Birthday Party Leaves 11 Dead in Port-au-Prince

The strikes targeted a party hosted by gang leader Albert Steevenson, known as Djouma, who was distributing gifts to local children in Cité Soleil. According to reports, the first drone detonated among the crowd, killing three adults—including a pregnant woman—and eight children aged between two and ten. A second strike shortly after hit the gang's headquarters, resulting in further casualties. Survivors described scenes of carnage, with families finding children critically maimed in the immediate aftermath of the explosions.

Questions regarding the origin of the strike remain unresolved. Speculation has centered on whether the operation was conducted by the Haitian National Police or private contractors from Vectus Global, a firm founded by Erik Prince. While the government has previously acknowledged working with Prince to target gang leadership, neither the firm nor local authorities have confirmed involvement or issued a formal response to the mounting death toll. Romain Le Cour of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime noted that more than 48 hours have passed without an official statement, fueling concerns over the lack of oversight. Pierre Esperance of the National Human Rights Defense Network warned that the incident mirrors previous failures in coordination, arguing that if security forces cannot deploy such technology with precision, its use must be suspended entirely to prevent further civilian loss.