Hundreds of residents of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, have been forced to flee their homes due to a new wave of gang violence. People are sleeping in the open air along the road to the country's main airport, Associated Press reports, according to UNN.
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56-year-old Monique Verdier told reporters that she fled after armed militants began setting fire to residential buildings in her neighborhood. During the escape, her family was separated, and she does not know where her relatives are now.
"I am sleeping on the street now. It is dangerous to go back,"
Gangs control most of the capital
Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have seized control of over 90% of Port-au-Prince. Criminal groups engage in kidnappings, robberies, and armed attacks, and have recently been advancing more actively into the country's rural areas.
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The international organization Doctors Without Borders announced the evacuation of its hospital in the Cité Soleil district following large-scale shootouts on Sunday. Within 12 hours, medics provided assistance to over 40 people with gunshot wounds and sheltered about 800 people fleeing the violence.
Due to the deteriorating security situation, operations at Toussaint Louverture International Airport remain significantly restricted. The country's largest enterprises, including rum producer Barbancourt, have stated that the government is not responding sufficiently to the crisis.
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