PANAMA CITY, March 30 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people died and 10 others were injured in a series of attacks by the "Gran Grif" gang in the Jean Denis neighborhood in Haiti's Artibonite region, Haitian police said Monday, while local officials put the death toll at around 70.
The attacks occurred on Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday, with further violence reported early Monday morning, local media reported.
Gunmen indiscriminately targeted residents and set multiple houses on fire, forcing large numbers of people to flee and causing severe casualties and property damage, according to the reports.
The Haitian National Police said 16 deaths and 10 injuries have been confirmed based on currently available information. Authorities said the actual casualty figures are still pending verification, as some areas remain difficult to access and not all bodies have been accounted for.
Local officials told media the attacks killed approximately 70 people and injured many others, warning that the death toll could rise further.
Some victims may remain inside burned homes, complicating the tally, as some media reports suggested the number of deaths could exceed 85.
Haiti has been grappling with deteriorating security conditions in recent years, as armed gangs expand their control across multiple regions and violent incidents become increasingly frequent. ■
