More than a dozen suspected gang members were stoned and burned alive Monday, April 24 by residents of a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, according to police and witnesses, the UN being alarmed that same day of insecurity worthy of an "armed conflict" in Haiti.

This new outbreak of deadly violence occurred as the police had just arrested these armed men, in a context of high tension in the Haitian capital.

"During a search of a minibus carrying armed individuals, police confiscated weapons and other equipment. In addition, more than a dozen individuals who were circulating in this vehicle were unfortunately lynched by members of the population, "said the national police of Haiti in a statement.

>> Watch: "Haiti plunged into gang chaos: UN calls on international community to react"

Haitian police did not say the exact number of victims. She also did not detail under what conditions she had lost custody of these suspects, then murdered by the inhabitants of this neighborhood called Canapé-Vert.

At least three other suspected gang members were killed and burned in the middle of the day, according to photos and videos that were shared online.

The violence began before dawn, when gang members stormed several residential areas of the capital, looting homes and attacking residents, witnesses said.

"It was the sounds of projectiles that woke us up this morning. It was 3 a.m., the gangs invaded us. There were shootings, shootings," a resident of the adjoining district of Turgeau told AFP.

Major humanitarian emergency

"If the gangs come to invade us, we will defend ourselves, we too have our own weapons, we have our machetes, we will take their weapons, we will not flee," added another resident, very tense. "Mothers who want to protect their children can send them elsewhere," he added.

In fact, dozens of families left these neighborhoods caught in the spiral of violence on Monday, AFP journalists found. Men, women and children fled the scene on foot, carrying some personal belongings in bags or bundles.

Insecurity in the Haitian capital is reaching levels "comparable to those of countries in a situation of war", alarmed the UN in a report published Monday that highlights a significant increase in homicides and kidnappings in the country. "The Haitian people remain in the grip of one of the worst human rights crises in decades and a major humanitarian emergency," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' report said. "Due to the high death toll and the growing area of areas controlled by armed gangs, insecurity in the capital has reached levels comparable to those in countries in situations of armed conflict," he added.

'More violent' clashes

Between 1 January and 31 March, the number of reported homicides in the country increased by 21 per cent compared to the previous quarter (815 compared to 673), and the number of kidnappings by 63 per cent (637 compared to 391).

Armed gangs "continue to vie for control of territory in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, and extend to neighborhoods hitherto spared," the report also notes, describing "more violent and more frequent" clashes between gangs, and between police and gangs. As a result, "the situation of people living in areas controlled by armed gangs remains quite appalling" and "in areas recently targeted by gangs, the situation is deteriorating radically".

According to the statement, between April 14 and 19, clashes between rival gangs left nearly 70 people dead, including 18 women and at least two minors.

In this context, the UN Secretary-General reiterates in the report that "there is an urgent need to deploy an international specialized armed force" in particular to help the police restore order.

Antonio Guterres relayed in October a call for help from Prime Minister Ariel Henry, asking the Security Council to send this force. But without results since then: if a few countries have indicated that they are ready to participate, none seems to want to take the lead.

With AFP

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