2026-01-23

Route Nationale 1 has served as Haiti's primary north-south artery since colonial times connecting Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien and intermediate cities. The Canaan settlement north of Port-au-Prince emerged after the 2010 earthquake as an unplanned displacement camp that evolved into a permanent community. Canaan-based armed groups now exploit the settlement's proximity to Route Nationale 1 to establish checkpoints and extortion operations targeting commercial and passenger traffic.