A fresh wave of gang violence has rocked Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, with residents and police joining forces in a rare show of defiance against heavily armed gangs attempting to tighten their grip on the city. In the suburb of Pétion-Ville, the community clashed with gunmen from the Viv Ansanm coalition, leaving at least 28 suspected gang members dead, according to authorities.

The attack began early Tuesday when trucks carrying suspected gang members blocked the main entry to Pétion-Ville, a neighborhood home to many hotels and businesses. The gangs, led by former police officer and spokesman Jimmy Chérizier, issued threats against hotel staff and Haiti’s transitional presidential council, vowing to use “all its force” to demand the council’s resignation. Gunmen also moved into the nearby community of Canape Vert as part of the coordinated assault.

The violence comes during a period of escalating instability in Port-au-Prince, where gangs now control an estimated 85% of the city. Earlier in the week, armed gangs opened fire on a commercial flight attempting to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, forcing its diversion to the Dominican Republic and prompting several airlines to suspend flights to Haiti indefinitely. The attack coincided with the swearing-in of interim prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who has vowed to restore order in the beleaguered capital.

While Haitian authorities reported success in pushing back the gang attack, with hundreds of rounds of ammunition seized, the brutality of the confrontation has shocked many. Witnesses described residents taking justice into their own hands, with some alleged gang members decapitated or burned after being killed. The images, though unverified, underscore the desperation and anger of a population under siege.

The United Nations estimates that more than 20,000 people have fled Port-au-Prince in recent days as gang violence intensifies. The transitional government, led by Fils-Aimé, faces immense challenges in restoring stability to a city where residents, weary of inaction, have begun to take matters into their own hands.