The High Command of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd'H) has decreed the maximum alert level, 'Condition D,' effective Monday, April 6. This decision comes amid a surge in violence. On Wednesday, the first contingent of the UN-created Gang Suppression Force (GSF) arrived in the country. The same day, the Haitian National Police (PNH) reported armed clashes with gang members during a major operation in the Artibonite department, where at least 70 people were massacred on Sunday in an attack attributed to the armed group 'Grand Griffon.' 'In anticipation of imminent ground military operations, the High Command orders the transition to Condition D for all military units and organizations nationwide, starting Monday, April 6, 2026,' stated the institution in an official document. This order is accompanied by mandatory measures that take effect immediately and must be strictly observed, including the call to active duty, suspension of leaves and vacations, wearing of regulation uniforms, and securing of facilities. 'Each soldier must ensure their personal weapon and protective equipment are in good working order,' the document adds. Next Monday, starting at 8:00 a.m. (13:00 GMT), all military personnel must report to their respective barracks and full availability will be required. Officers on duty must maintain 24-hour radio and telephone vigilance. All leaves, licenses, and exemptions are suspended until further notice, military authorities informed. It is also mandatory to wear the complete uniform for any movement (entry and exit) within military premises. A 'reinforced and systematic' control of vehicles and personnel at access points to bases will be rigorously applied, and the maintenance of guard logs and the preparation of precise documentation on any operational event must be carried out with 'the utmost rigor,' the High Command of the Armed Forces established. Commanders of units are obligated to present, within a 24-hour period, a report on essential logistical needs to cover a 30-day autonomy period. According to the FAd'H, the execution of these guidelines is the direct responsibility of unit commanders, and any violation or act of negligence will be dealt with with the utmost firmness, in accordance with the Military Justice Code. Since 2018, Haiti has faced an unprecedented security crisis, characterized by the proliferation of armed attacks, massacres, robberies, and rapes by armed gangs that already control at least 90% of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.
