Haitian Soldiers Reportedly Kill 23 Loyal to Aristide

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Soldiers massacred at least 23 fishermen and merchants in a west coast slum loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, witnesses and human rights advocates said Monday. The killings followed a wave of attacks on Haiti’s pro-democracy movement.

The soldiers raided a seaside neighborhood in the city of Gonaives on Saturday, firing shots in the air but causing no reported injuries.

Hours later, they returned and began shooting indiscriminately at people gathering firewood on the beach. The troops also commandeered rowboats and attacked fishermen off shore.

The bodies washed ashore gradually: three on Saturday and at least 20 from Sunday to early Monday afternoon, said the witnesses, speaking on condition of anonymity.