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

A powerful and feared gang leader in Haiti, who was once a math and physics teacher, has been reported killed in a neighborhood within a sprawling seaside slum that he controlled for years, according to local media sources.

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

Andrice ruled over the Belekou community within the Cite Soleil slum, where he met his end, as confirmed by former mayor Esaïe Beauchard in an interview with Radio Galaxie FM.

“It’s regrettable that this man had to be involved in gang activity, considering he was a highly intelligent individual,” expressed Beauchard.

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

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

The gang led by Andrice was notorious for engaging in murder, robbery, extortion, rape, and the hijacking of goods and trucks, as highlighted in a recent U.N. report. He later joined forces with renowned gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, widely known as “Barbecue,” who formed the “G9 Family and Allies” alliance, Haiti’s largest and most powerful gang group.

Media interviews granted by Chérizier had to be approved by Andrice.

The U.N. report revealed that Andrice, like other gang leaders, established the Siloé Foundation in 2015. This foundation aimed to gain favor from the community he controlled and present a positive image of himself.

Andrice, along with other gang leaders, faced accusations of leading numerous deadly raids on Haitian neighborhoods, specifically targeting innocent civilians, according to a report by the nonprofit National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti.

Furthermore, they were accused of causing a major disruption at a primary fuel terminal in the capital city of Port-au-Prince last year, resulting in severe repercussions for the country. This incident prompted Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry to urgently request the deployment of a foreign armed force, marking his first such appeal.

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