Port-au-Prince, Haiti—A makeshift displacement site for families fleeing gang violence was targeted by an armed group today, leaving two people dead. The camp, located on the outskirts of the city, has been a sanctuary for hundreds of people who have already lost their homes. The intruders entered the site in the morning, creating chaos among the residents.

The two victims were killed while trying to escape the perimeter of the camp. Most of the residents were already traumatized by their previous displacement, and this latest incident has broken any sense of security they had remaining. Many people are now abandoning the site altogether, heading toward other districts with no clear plan for where to go next.

"They promised us we were safe here," one displaced woman said. The site lacks any formal security, relying on the hope that the groups would ignore the vulnerable population. That hope was shattered by today’s attack.

International aid groups that had been providing water and food to the camp are now pausing their services. The risk to their own staff is too high to continue. This leaves the remaining residents without the basic support they need to survive the week.

This is not the first time displacement camps have been targeted. As the violence spreads, these sites are becoming primary objectives for groups looking to recruit, extort, or intimidate the population. The state has no oversight of these spontaneous camps, which are popping up across every open space in the city.

The identity of the two victims will be processed by camp leaders, though there are few resources to handle the funeral arrangements. They will likely be buried in an unmarked site near the camp. The fear of return by the gunmen remains high for everyone left behind.

Night has fallen, and the camp is quiet. There is no electricity and no protection. The residents are left to wonder if the gunmen will come back before the morning light.