At least 12 people killed in Haiti

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Armed gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods that had until then remained largely peaceful.

Associated Press

Armed gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods in the Haitian capital early Monday, in a rampage that left at least a dozen dead in surrounding areas.

Armed men looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations asking for police. These neighborhoods had remained largely peaceful despite the increase in violent gang attacks in Port-au-Prince since February 29.

An Associated Press photographer saw the bodies of at least twelve men strewn across the streets of Pétionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin.

Crowds began to gather around the victims. One of them was lying face down in the street, surrounded by a scattered deck of cards, while another was lying face down inside a x27;a van known as a tap-tap, which acts as a taxi.

A woman on one of the scenes collapsed and had to be supported by other people after learned that a member of his family had been killed.

The most recent attacks have raised fears that gang violence will not stop, although Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced almost a week ago that he would resign once a council presidential transition would have been put in place, which the gangs had demanded.

Loading in progressThe Minister Drainville presents his education dashboard

Minister Drainville presents his education dashboard

ELSEWHERE ON INFO: Minister Drainville presents his education dashboardLoading in progressMinister Drainville presents his education dashboard

Minister Drainville presents his education dashboard

ELSIDE ON INFO: Minister Drainville presents his education dashboard

Also Monday, Haiti's electricity company announced that four substations in the capital and elsewhere had been destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional. As a result, large parts of Port-au-Prince were left without electricity, including the Cité Soleil slum, the community of Croix-des-Bouquets and a hospital.

The company said the criminals also seized important documents, cables, inverters, batteries and other items.

As gang violence continues unabated, Caribbean leaders have helped create a transition council. Originally, this council was to be composed of seven members with voting rights. But one Haitian political party rejected the seat it was offered, and another is still arguing over who should be nominated.

Meanwhile , the deployment of a UN-backed Kenyan police force to combat gangs in Haiti has been delayed, with the East African country saying it would wait for the transition council to be established.