After attack on prison
Haiti declares a state of emergency
March 4, 2024, 5:08 a.m
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At the end of February, armed gangs attacked a prison in Haiti and freed hundreds of inmates. The government is trying to bring the situation under control. Fearing further escalation, she is now taking drastic measures.
In view of the escalating situation in Haiti following an attack by armed gangs on the national prison in the capital Port-au-Prince, the government has declared a state of emergency for at least three days. This applies to the entire West Department, to which the state capital belongs, and can be extended, the government announced on.
In addition, a curfew will be imposed until Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. “in order to bring the situation back under control.” The government made the move “in view of the attacks by armed gangs on the country’s two largest penitentiaries, which have resulted in deaths and injuries among police and prison staff, the escape of dangerous prisoners and the devastation of these institutions.”
Armed gangs attacked the national prison on Saturday, apparently enabling hundreds of prisoners to escape. The government said police officers were unable to stop the bandits from freeing a large number of prisoners held on charges including “kidnapping, murder and other crimes.”
Dramatic situation
The information in the media about those who escaped varied – from hundreds to almost all of the almost 3,700 prisoners. According to official information, several people were injured in the attack on Saturday and there were also said to be deaths. The number of victims was not mentioned. Images of devastated cells with doors open were shared on social media.
There was also another attack on a prison east of the capital in Croix-des-Bouquets. It was not stated whether prisoners were able to escape there. The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated dramatically since the president’s assassination. According to UN estimates, brutal gangs control around 80 percent of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince and are increasingly expanding their area of influence to other parts of the country.