EPAThe open gate of the prison in Port-au-Prince after the storming
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 22:16
Armed gangs have attacked Haiti’s largest prison. That happened on Saturday evening (local time) in the center of the capital Port-au-Prince. The Gazette Haiti newspaper reports that a “significant number of prisoners have been freed”, including “key members of very powerful gangs”.
The French embassy in the country confirms the storming of the prison. It is not clear exactly how many detainees escaped.
According to the AP news agency, there are at least hundreds of prisoners. The news agency also quotes a human rights lawyer working in the prison. He says fewer than 100 of the approximately 4,000 prisoners remain.
People are also said to have been killed in the attack. A journalist from the Reuters news agency visited the prison today and saw three bodies of prisoners lying in the courtyard. According to the journalist, the prison gate is open. There are no guards or police officers anywhere to be seen.
A Colombian prisoner decided to stay in the complex and hide from the violence:
Haiti’s largest prison attacked by armed gangs
Local media write that the prison has been spied on and mapped by criminal gangs for several days. They used drones for that. Footage of the storm, also filmed by drones, is reportedly being shared by gang members on social media.
Prime Minister’s whereabouts unknown
Since Thursday, public life in and around Port-au-Prince has come to a virtual standstill due to the flare-up of gang violence. Several criminal groups appear to be working together against Prime Minister Henry’s government. Powerful gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, nicknamed ‘Barbecue’, previously said on social media that he wanted to “liberate” the country and demanded that Henry step down.
It is not known where the Prime Minister is at the moment. Henry should have already returned from Kenya, where he signed a security agreement and asked for international help to combat gang violence in Haiti. An international force led by Kenya must restore order in the country. The Bahamas, Benin, Belize and Jamaica have also pledged to send soldiers and police to Haiti.
According to the United Nations, gangs control an estimated 80 percent of Port-au-Prince’s territory. About 15,000 people have fled the capital in recent days. International telephone traffic with Haiti is currently virtually impossible, reports provider Digicel.
2024-03-03 21:16:49
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