WhatsApp launches 4 new formats for text messages

A group of prisoners escaped from the national prison in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, after an assault by armed gangs and in the midst of a wave of unrest that has shaken the country for several days, the French embassy and local media reported.

“On Saturday night, a group of criminals stormed the national penitentiary in Port-au-Prince and allowed an unknown number of detainees to escape,” wrote the French embassy in the Haitian capital in a statement transmitted to AFP.

The embassy called for “prudence” and to avoid “displacements.”

In turn, the Haitian National Police Union asked those police officers and soldiers who have cars, weapons and ammunition to go to the prison to reinforce security, according to a message in Creole published on the X network.

Among the prisoners who escaped there are “important members of very powerful gangs,” reported the newspaper Gazette d’Haïti.

Common criminals, gang leaders and also those accused of the 2021 murder of President Jovenel Moïse were detained in that prison, located a few blocks from the National Palace, reported the newspaper Le Nouvelliste.

Since Thursday, the assailants have been spying on that prison, the main one in the country, with drones, the media added.

Since Thursday, Port-au-Prince has been subjected to violent attacks by gangs who claim to want the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is outside the capital, according to Le Nouvelliste.

The gangs, grouped under the motto “Live together”, carry out coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince against strategic locations such as the prison, the international airport and several police buildings.

Since the unrest began on Thursday, at least four police officers have been killed and dozens of people have been injured in a country mired in a serious political, security and humanitarian crisis.

Related