Haitians mourn victims of drone attack in gang-controlled slum

PORT-AU-PRINCE Haiti AP Hundreds of Haitians attended a collective funeral Saturday for eight people killed in a drone attack last month in a gang-controlled slum in the capital Port-au-Prince On Sept explosive drones targeting a suspected gang leader killed nine people inside a slum in Haiti s capital and wounded others according to Doctors Without Borders The organization admitted the casualties into its hospitals The explosions happened in Cit Soleil which is controlled by Viv Ansanm a powerful gang coalition that the U S has designated as a foreign terrorist organization Relatives and activists blamed police for the attack Family members and residents of Cit Soleil mourned the sufferers including four children at a park in the group Still traumatized by the attack chosen attendees mistook a bird flying overhead for a drone sparking panic as people ran in different directions Several fled the scene Claudia Bobrun reported she did not have the strength to look at the coffin of her -year-old daughter Samira Nelson She described her daughter as a happy child who died while playing with friends Area leaders helped cover the costs of the funeral Jislene Statune revealed she lost two grandchildren and her eldest daughter who was the head of the family Her daughter who sold used clothes to advocacy relatives was killed in front of her home On Tuesday the U N Guard Council voted to authorize a much larger -member international force with expanded powers to help stop escalating gang violence in Haiti The resolution co-sponsored by the United States and Panama will transform the current Kenya-led multinational force into a Gang Suppression Force with the power to arrest suspected gang members which the current force does not have Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenal Mo se in They now control of the capital Port-au-Prince and have expanded their engagements including looting kidnapping sexual assaults and rape into the countryside Haiti has not had a president since the assassination Gang violence has left a record more than million people homeless across Haiti in modern years and hunger and poverty are only deepening Millions of Haitians remain frustrated that their situation has not improved despite the promise of a new international force Associated Press writer Gabriela S Pessoa contributed from Sao Paulo Follow the AP s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https apnews com hub latin-america Source