About ten die during the escape of thousands of detainees in Port-au-Prince

Chaos continues to intensify in Haiti where at least a dozen people died during the escape of several thousand prisoners from the national prison in Port-au-Prince; On the night of Saturday 2 March to Sunday 3 March, the prison was attacked by an armed gang seeking to free the prisoners.

“We counted many bodies of detainees”, on Sunday, announced the Agence France-Presse (AFP), Pierre Esperance, executive director of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH). He explained that about 100 inmates were still in the prison on Sunday, down from about 3,800 before the attack.

An AFP journalist who visited the site on Sunday morning saw around ten bodies around the prison. According to him, some had bullet or projectile marks on them. He could go to the penance, which had a gate “opened” and where was “Almost none”he said.

The government speaks of “heavily armed criminals”.

Police during the night from Saturday to Sunday “Attempt to thwart attack by criminal gangs against National Penitentiary and Croix des Bouquets prison”.Said, for its part, in a press release the government. “Several inmates and prison administration staff were injured in the attack.”he added.

The government condemned it “The rampage of heavily armed criminals who seek the release of those in custody at all costs, especially for kidnapping, murder and other serious crimes”. National Police “All possible efforts will be made to locate escaped prisoners, arrest those responsible for these criminal acts and their accomplices”The government was assured.

Regarding the Croix des Bouquets prison, according to Pierre Esperance, it is currently unknown how many prisoners were able to escape. He said about 1,450 detainees were held before the attack.

Deployment of international missions is expected

A poor Caribbean country, Haiti is facing a serious political, security and humanitarian crisis following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Security forces have been overwhelmed by gang violence, which has taken control of parts of the country, including the capital, Port-au-Prince. Since Thursday, armed gangs have been attacking strategic locations, saying they want to overthrow Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is running for office. In power from 2021, the latter should leave office in early February.

Several common law prisoners, known gang leaders, and those accused of assassinating President Jovenel Moise were incarcerated in the National Penitentiary, located a few hundred meters from the National Palace.

On Friday, Kenya and Haiti signed an agreement to send Kenyan police officers to the Caribbean country as part of a UN-backed international mission. While visiting Nairobi this week, Ariel Henry held talks with Kenyan President William Ruto “Deployment Speed” of this force. Kenya’s parliament approved the deployment before it was blocked by a court decision in late January.