GONAIVES, Haiti (AP) – Under a hail of rocks, police pushed back into this city Saturday in a bid to retake it from rebels seeking to oust Haiti’s embattled president.
About 150 heavily armed officers inched into the city from the main highway, aiming their rifles at the side of the road as protesters tossed stones. Sporadic gunfire rang out, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Rebels with the Gonaives Resistance Front took the city of 200,000 people Thursday after a five-hour gunbattle with police. At least seven people were killed and 20 wounded.
Militants said they wanted to draw the police into their stronghold in the seaside shantytown of Raboteau. They hid on side streets and crouched in doorways, many armed with rifles and pistols.
“If the battle turns against us, retreat,” a militant commander called out to several other gunmen.
“Look, we’re going to get them. We’re going to draw them into a trap,” said the commander, who refused to give his name.
The Gonaives Resistance Front once was allied with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. But the group turned against Aristide last year, accusing his government of assassinating its leader.
Discontent has grown among Haiti’s 8 million people since Aristide’s party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.
It was unclear how many gunmen from the group intended to confront the police, but they had popular support.
“We have placed our trust in the Gonaives Resistance Front. If the police counterattack, they’ll meet with stiff resistance,” said Jean Roland, a 23-year-old resident who wasn’t among the fighters.
On Friday, thousands of protesters marched onto the main highway leading to Gonaives, chanting “Aristide must go! Too much blood has flowed!” Some rode in a looted police truck, flaunting stolen police uniforms and weapons.
Former soldiers of Haiti’s disbanded army carrying heavy weapons patrolled the streets in support of the uprising in Gonaives.
At the jail, where the attackers freed more than 100 prisoners, looters dislodged metal gates and bars. Stores and schools remained shut and severed telephone lines were strewn in streets covered with rubble.
Government spokesman Mario Dupuy called the attacks “terrorist acts” and said police would restore order in the city 70 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital.
02/07/04 12:36 EST
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Police Move to Retake Haitian City
By MICHAEL NORTON
.c The Associated Press
GONAIVES, Haiti (AP) – Under a hail of rocks, police pushed back into this city Saturday in a bid to retake it from rebels seeking to oust Haiti’s embattled president.
About 150 heavily armed officers inched into the city from the main highway, aiming their rifles at the side of the road as protesters tossed stones. Sporadic gunfire rang out, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Rebels with the Gonaives Resistance Front took the city of 200,000 people Thursday after a five-hour gunbattle with police. At least seven people were killed and 20 wounded.
Militants said they wanted to draw the police into their stronghold in the seaside shantytown of Raboteau. They hid on side streets and crouched in doorways, many armed with rifles and pistols.
“If the battle turns against us, retreat,” a militant commander called out to several other gunmen.
“Look, we’re going to get them. We’re going to draw them into a trap,” said the commander, who refused to give his name.
The Gonaives Resistance Front once was allied with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. But the group turned against Aristide last year, accusing his government of assassinating its leader.
Discontent has grown among Haiti’s 8 million people since Aristide’s party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.
It was unclear how many gunmen from the group intended to confront the police, but they had popular support.
“We have placed our trust in the Gonaives Resistance Front. If the police counterattack, they’ll meet with stiff resistance,” said Jean Roland, a 23-year-old resident who wasn’t among the fighters.
On Friday, thousands of protesters marched onto the main highway leading to Gonaives, chanting “Aristide must go! Too much blood has flowed!” Some rode in a looted police truck, flaunting stolen police uniforms and weapons.
Former soldiers of Haiti’s disbanded army carrying heavy weapons patrolled the streets in support of the uprising in Gonaives.
At the jail, where the attackers freed more than 100 prisoners, looters dislodged metal gates and bars. Stores and schools remained shut and severed telephone lines were strewn in streets covered with rubble.
Government spokesman Mario Dupuy called the attacks “terrorist acts” and said police would restore order in the city 70 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital.
02/07/04 12:36 EST
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
.c The Associated Press
GONAIVES, Haiti (AP) – Under a hail of rocks, police pushed back into this city Saturday in a bid to retake it from rebels seeking to oust Haiti’s
embattled president.
About 150 heavily armed officers inched into the city from the main highway, aiming their rifles at the side of the road as protesters tossed stones.
Sporadic gunfire rang out, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Rebels with the Gonaives Resistance Front took the city of 200,000 people Thursday after a five-hour gunbattle with police. At least seven people
were killed and 20 wounded.
Militants said they wanted to draw the police into their stronghold in the seaside shantytown of Raboteau. They hid on side streets and crouched in
doorways, many armed with rifles and pistols.
“If the battle turns against us, retreat,” a militant commander called out to several other gunmen.
“Look, we’re going to get them. We’re going to draw them into a trap,” said the commander, who refused to give his name.
The Gonaives Resistance Front once was allied with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. But the group turned against Aristide last year, accusing his
government of assassinating its leader.
Discontent has grown among Haiti’s 8 million people since Aristide’s party swept flawed legislative elections in 2000 and international donors froze
hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.
It was unclear how many gunmen from the group intended to confront the police, but they had popular support.
“We have placed our trust in the Gonaives Resistance Front. If the police counterattack, they’ll meet with stiff resistance,” said Jean Roland, a
23-year-old resident who wasn’t among the fighters.
On Friday, thousands of protesters marched onto the main highway leading to Gonaives, chanting “Aristide must go! Too much blood has flowed!”
Some rode in a looted police truck, flaunting stolen police uniforms and weapons.
Former soldiers of Haiti’s disbanded army carrying heavy weapons patrolled the streets in support of the uprising in Gonaives.
At the jail, where the attackers freed more than 100 prisoners, looters dislodged metal gates and bars. Stores and schools remained shut and
severed telephone lines were strewn in streets covered with rubble.
Government spokesman Mario Dupuy called the attacks “terrorist acts” and said police would restore order in the city 70 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital.