At least 16 killed and thousands displaced by gang attack in Haiti

Police are trying to reach a gang-controlled area in the Artibonite department where at least 16 people have been killed in a series of attacks over the weekend.

While so far only 16 fatalities have been confirmed by police, a local journalist spoke of "around 20 dead", while one human rights group warned that the number of fatalities could be as high as 70.

Local rights activists said the Gran Grif gang, was behind the deadly attacks, which they said had caused 6,000 people to flee.

Residents of the rural area of Jean-Denis, near the town of Petite-Rivière de l'Artibonite, said that a first attack took place in the early hours of Sunday.

They told Le Nouvelliste that gang members had "arrived from all directions", setting houses alight and shooting at those fleeing from the flames.

Survivors described finding bodies strewn on the road the next morning.

A second deadly attack reportedly occurred on Monday.