Notes from Haiti

Two United Nations soldiers were wounded in the battle. The heaviest fighting occured in the Boston area in the early morning hours with sustained small arms fire and sporadic canon fire.

Fresh troops prepare to head to the fighting while others rest at Strong Point 16, one of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti's (MINUSTAH) bases in Cité Soleil. MINUSTAH has taken control of four new buildings in the areas that they claim were being used by the armed groups to stage attacks.

Residents go about their early morning business despite gunfire in the streets. The residents of Cité Soleil have grown accustomed to regular pitched gunbattles between MINUSTAH and the armed groups and have no choice but to cope as best they can while low intensity urban warfare continues to destroy their neighborhood.

A Brazilian soldier looks out over Cité Soleil at Strong Point 16 as the sun rises.

A woman raises her arms and cries out not to shoot, as two men push a civilian in a wheelbarrow who has been shot in the back as they seek medical attention for the wounded man. An unknown number of civilians were wounded.

A lone FAL assault rifle rests in an APC as spent 7.62 caliber cartridges lay dispensed on the ground.

A box of 7.62 ammunition and spent cartridges lie on the floor of an APC.

A Brazilian soldier sleeps in a crowded armored personnel carrier. The APC remains parked and bakes in the sun for two hours while waiting for orders. The soldiers can do nothing but sleep, eat, and take on fire as they sit parked.

Colonel Afonso Henrique Pedrosa speaks with other Brazilian commanders before the final phase of the operation with the goal of arresting Evens, his gang and the takeover his base.

Evens' Jamaica Base in Boston, Cité Soleil. A mural with American rapper Lil' Bow Wow and an AK-47 adorn one wall.

A soldier stays on alert against the backdrop of Wyclef Jean, Haiti's beloved rapper and activist at Jamaica Base. The mural reads, "Enter With Your Honor. For You. Leave With Your Respect. If You Want."

A Brazilian soldier runs for cover at Jamaica Base. Sporadic resistance here picked up slightly as MINUSTAH troops battled armed men.

A Brazilian soldier searchs suspected gang members arrested at Jamaica Base. Taking over Jamaica base and arresting Evens' gang was the final phase and goal of the operation. Evens was not at Jamaica Base and rumors about his whereabouts began to surface after he gave a radio interview with Haitian radio journalist Moloskot saying that he was going to kill himself. His whereabouts are currently unknown and many believe he is in hiding.

A Brazilian soldier shouts to men further down the road as they continue to hold Jamaica Base.

A Brazilian soldier runs to take a position while coming under fire from gang members.

Residents of Cité Soleil lay down white sheets on the main road in Boston to show their desire for peace as the UN continues to encounter resistance. For two years, the UN has occupied Cité Soleil and the people here have been under seige ever since, as a low intensity urban war continues while the UN steps up the pressure on armed groups in Cité Soleil. An anti-UN protest had just ended at the market next to Strong Point 16 shortly after this photo was taken.

The UN is planning similar operations for Amaral and Bélony, the armed leaders of Bellecour and Bwa Neuf respectively. Over 10,000 rounds were fired from UN weapons and thousands of others shot in resistance to the UN operation. As always, the residents of Cité Soleil will have to ride it out.