Haiti has declared three days of national mourning following a deadly stampede at the historic Citadelle Laferriere fortress in the northern part of the country on Saturday. The crush resulted in at least 25 fatalities, occurring at the entrance of the popular tourist site as visitors pressed to both enter and exit simultaneously, creating a dangerous bottleneck.

The Ministry of Culture and Communication announced on Tuesday the dismissal of two government officials in the aftermath of the stampede. One, a director at the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage, was accused of "serious negligence," while another official from the ministry was criticized for "biased passivity." In a statement, the ministry asserted that "the tragedy at La Citadelle is the result of administrative negligence," adding that the government "will fully assume its responsibilities" as the event "must outrage the public conscience."

This tragedy marks one of several crises facing the Haitian government as it approaches the first round of general elections scheduled for later this year. Already, nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the stampede, including five police officers and two employees from the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage. The crush took place during an event hosted by a local DJ at the citadel, a 19th-century fortress built after the Haitian Revolution when enslaved people overthrew French colonial rule, and it has since become a symbol of Haitian sovereignty.

Stormy weather conditions exacerbated the situation on Saturday, with heavy rains pounding northern Haiti and event participants rushing for cover, intensifying the stampede. Elsewhere in the country, approximately 12 people died due to the downpours, and at least 900 homes and one hospital were flooded. The Haitian government has also been grappling with the threat of gang violence, particularly since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise in 2021, which left a power vacuum that criminal networks have sought to exploit. Federal elections have been repeatedly postponed over much of the past decade.

Earlier this month, a United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force began arriving in the country to help address the violence. From March 2025 through mid-January of this year, the UN has counted at least 5,519 gang-related deaths in Haiti. Since 2022, roughly 16,000 people have been killed, and more than 1.5 million have been displaced. Authorities called for more aid on Tuesday as violence persisted; in the Marigot commune, seven people were killed and a police station was burned in an overnight gang attack. Marigot Mayor Rene Danneau described the victims as informants who assisted the police and urged the Haitian government to intervene.

Source: www.aljazeera.com