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

FILE – The main entrance to the Cite Soleil area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dec. 11, 2018. Gang leader Iskar Andrice, who also has been identified as Iscar Andris, was killed in the Belekou neighborhood that he controlled for years within the Cite Soleil, local media reported on Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery, File)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Iskar Andrice, a notorious and influential gang leader in Haiti, met his demise in a neighbourhood within the sprawling seaside slum of Cite Soleil, according to local media reports on Monday.

Andrice, also known as Iscar Andris, was a former math and physics teacher who had managed to gain control over the Belekou community within the Cite Soleil slum, a stronghold he ruled for several years. The news of his death has raised concerns over the potential escalation of gang violence in the power vacuum left behind.

Esaïe Beauchard, a former mayor, expressed regret that Andrice, who was described as a highly intelligent man, had chosen a path of criminal activity. Beauchard shared his sentiments during an interview with Radio Galaxie FM.

The exact date of Andrice’s death remains unknown at this time.

Jean-Frédérique Islain, the current mayor of Cite Soleil, declined to provide any comments when contacted by The Associated Press.

Andrice led a gang involved in various illicit activities, including murder, robbery, extortion, rape, and the hijacking of goods and trucks, as outlined in a recent report by the United Nations. Later on, he formed an alliance with the renowned gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, widely known as Barbecue, resulting in the establishment of the “G9 Family and Allies,” Haiti’s largest and most powerful gang group.

Media interviews with Chérizier required prior approval from Andrice, highlighting the former’s influence within the criminal network.

In 2015, Andrice, like other gang leaders, established the Siloé Foundation, a social organization aimed at winning over the community he controlled and projecting a positive image of himself. However, he and other gang leaders have been implicated in leading deadly raids on Haitian neighborhoods, specifically targeting innocent civilians, as reported by the nonprofit National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti.

Moreover, Andrice and his cohorts were accused of orchestrating a major disruption at a key fuel terminal in the capital city of Port-au-Prince last year, which resulted in severe consequences for the country. The incident prompted Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry to request urgent assistance from a foreign armed force, marking his first such appeal.