Gangs lay siege to Haiti's capital. US begins evacuation of embassy
In Haiti, gangs try to seize power, police fight (photo: Getty Images)
In Haiti, gangs continue to rebel against the government of acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The country's capital, Port-au-Prince, is under siege, and the United States has begun evacuating its diplomatic mission.
"Insecurity is growing at the national level: violence in Artibonite, roadblocks in Cap Haitien, and fuel shortages in the South. People living in the capital are locked in, they have nowhere to go. People fleeing cannot reach family members and friends in the rest of the country to find shelter. The capital is surrounded by armed groups and danger. It is a city under siege," said Philippe Branchat, IOM Chief of Mission.
According to The Guardian, after Haitian gangs attempted to storm the government quarter in Port-au-Prince, the United States decided to send a Marine unit to Haiti to evacuate its embassy staff.
A Pentagon spokesperson told the media that the operation to evacuate American personnel took place at night using a helicopter. The evacuation was requested by the State Department.
What is happening in Haiti
Last week, gangs seized two prisons in Haiti and released 4000 prisoners, including those involved in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise in 2021. After that, the Haitian authorities declared a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew in the capital.
The other day, it became known about a large-scale attempt by Haitian gangs to attack government buildings in Port-au-Prince, after which the United States thought about deploying a Marine unit to Haiti to ensure the security of its embassy.
