Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Haiti Gang Leader Iskar Andrice Killed, Raising Concerns of Increased Violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Iskar Andrice, a powerful and feared gang leader in Haiti, met his demise in a neighborhood within the sprawling seaside slum that he had controlled for years, local media reported on Monday. Andrice, who was once a math and physics teacher, was known for his iron grip over the Belekou community in the Cite Soleil slum.

The death of Andrice, also identified as Iscar Andris, has raised concerns that the already rampant gang violence in the country could escalate further following the power vacuum created by his demise.

Esaïe Beauchard, the former mayor of Cite Soleil, expressed regret over Andrice’s involvement in gang activities, stating, “It’s regrettable that this guy had to be involved in gang activity because he’s a very intelligent man.”

The exact date of Andrice’s death has not been immediately clarified.

The current mayor of Cite Soleil, Jean-Frédérique Islain, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

Andrice led a notorious gang that was involved in a range of crimes including murder, robbery, extortion, rape, and hijacking of goods and trucks, as highlighted in a recent U.N. report. He later joined forces with renowned gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, to form “G9 Family and Allies,” which became Haiti’s biggest and most powerful gang group.

Notably, Chérizier granted media interviews only after receiving approval from Andrice.

In 2015, Andrice, like other gang leaders, established the Siloé Foundation, a social foundation aimed at winning over the community he controlled and presenting a positive image of himself, according to the United Nations.

Andrice and other gang leaders were also accused of leading deadly raids on Haitian neighborhoods, targeting civilians, as highlighted in a report by the nonprofit National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti.

Furthermore, they were alleged to have paralyzed operations at a major fuel terminal in the capital city, Port-au-Prince, last year, resulting in severe disruptions to the country and compelling Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry to make his first request for the urgent deployment of a foreign armed force.

As the news of Andrice’s death spreads, concerns are growing that the power vacuum left by his demise could lead to an escalation in gang violence in Haiti. The authorities are expected to take swift action to prevent further destabilization in the already troubled nation.

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Associated Press reporter Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed to this article.

Evens Sanon, The Associated Press

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