Tensions escalate in Haiti: 10 dead in gang clashes
Ten people have lost their lives in clashes between gangs in Haiti. Due to gang-related violence, 16,947 people were forced to flee their homes in the capital between March 8 and 14.
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According to local media reports, a clash broke out between two gangs in the Petionville neighborhood, located in the south of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Ten gang members from the opposing sides lost their lives in the incident.
In a statement regarding the matter, the Haiti National Police spokesperson's office reported that security forces were not involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 16,947 people were forced to flee their homes in the capital between March 8 and 14 due to violence caused by gangs.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Armed gangs demanding the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry launched armed attacks on two prisons near Port-au-Prince and the Croix-des-Bouquets region on March 2 and 3, engaging in clashes with security forces.
During the clashes, approximately 4,000 inmates escaped from prison, and 12 people lost their lives.
On March 4, the government announced a 72-hour state of emergency and the implementation of a curfew during certain hours to capture those who had escaped from prison.
The 72-hour state of emergency declared on March 4 to capture the escaped inmates in Haiti was extended for one month on March 7.
Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Americas, is on the brink of economic collapse due to a spiral of gang-related violence and a power vacuum. Struggling for many years with fundamental problems such as political, economic, and security crises, Haiti is facing the threat of famine with a population exceeding 11 million.