Haiti declared a state of emergency and set a four-day curfew from 6:00 PM to 5:00 AM
Since President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination in July 2021 and Ariel Henry taking over government duties, Haiti’s security has significantly worsened.
Brutal gangs now control about 80% of Port-au-Prince and are expanding their reach, according to UN estimates. This violence has worsened the already precarious supply situation, leaving nearly half of Haiti’s eleven million residents facing acute hunger.
While Prime Minister Ariel Henry was in Kenya, criminal gangs attacked parts of Port-au-Prince with gunfire, hitting the international airport and killing several police officers.
Armed gangs have stormed a prison in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and freed nearly 4,000 inmates – BBC
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 4, 2024
The leader of the gangsters – a former policeman nicknamed Barbecue – declared war on the prime minister and promised to "liberate the country".
Rioting has been going on in… pic.twitter.com/1dxDAi4qcq
Several gang leaders and suspects in Moïse’s assassination were among those who escaped from the overcrowded National Penitentiary.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the international community have called for more support to fight the surge in gang violence in Haiti.
The Dominican Republic has also announced it will strengthen its military presence along the border with Haiti.
Armed gangs jailbreak 4,000 inmates in Haiti after days-long gun battle with police https://t.co/KOkjoo5sND
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 4, 2024
The tense, uncertain situation in Haiti risks foreigners to kidnappings and gang conflicts.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, and travel to Haiti is currently discouraged.