Suspected Haitian gang members open fire on U.S. forces protecting U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince

American Marines guarding the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince came under fire Thursday in a confrontation with suspected Haitian gang members, a Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed on Saturday. 

The incident is an example of the increasingly volatile security situation in Haiti as armed groups tighten their hold over the capital.

Capt. Steven J. Keenan said the Marines returned fire during the attack and none of the embassy’s security personnel were injured. Details of the exchange emerged over the weekend. Haitian police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Criminal groups now exert control over an estimated 90% of Port-au-Prince, waging turf battles with high-powered weapons and extorting residents and businesses. Their rise has contributed to a sweeping humanitarian crisis, with more than 1.3 million people displaced by violence in recent years, according to the United Nations.

Despite the turmoil, the U.S. has kept its embassy operating in the country, though the State Department continues to warn Americans against traveling to Haiti, citing rampant kidnappings, violent crime and civil unrest.

Haiti’s security situation has spiraled since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, an event that plunged the nation of nearly 12 million into deeper political chaos and left power struggles to be settled increasingly by force.