Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency and curfew for 72 hours in the Port-au-Prince region from 6pm to 5am as of Sunday, 3 March 2024, following the escalating of violence and the attack on the country’s main jail in Port-au-Prince. The jail was emptied.
Haiti’s Economy Minister Patrick Michel Boisvert, acting for Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who traveled abroad reportedly to salvage the Kenyan agreement to send security forces to Haiti, told the media that security forces have received orders to use all legal means to enforce the curfew and detain those who violate it.
Gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer, has claimed responsibility for the recent violent attacks that he says aim to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The news that most of the inmates at the main jail in Port-au-Prince were released when gangs stormed the prison has the Dominican Army at the border with Haiti on red alert. As reported, most of the 4,000 inmates escaped. Reports are that the Colombians involved in the murder of former President Jovenel Moise did not leave the jail, fearing for their safety. Around a dozen men were said to have died in the assault on Saturday, 2 March 2024.
The assault occurred when acting Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry was abroad. He traveled to Guyana to meet with Caricom ministers in Guyana and subsequently to Kenya to meet with Kenyan Prime Minister. Kenya security forces are to lead a security mission to Haiti.
Gangs earlier in the week had fired at an airplane at the Port-au-Prince international airport, leading to two Dominican airlines that fly to Haiti to suspend these.
Haiti Libre reported that the bandits set fire to the surroundings of the prison and continued their progression guided by drones that informed them of the location of the police officers. A video taken by a drone circulated online along with an image of the prison. A voice could be heard reporting the lack of police presence in the prison yard and informing the gang members that they could move forward.
The capture of part of the penitentiary center by heavily armed gang members occurred after several hours of attack.
Gangs control around 80% of the capital of Haiti.
N Digital reports that despite the new situation in Port-au-Prince, the border between Dajabón and Juana Méndez remains calm and monitored for any eventuality.
In the Dominican Republic, the media reports that members of the Specialized Corps in Land Border Security (Cesfront), Migration and Customs agencies, maintain the same controls to prevent entry by the main checkpoints of criminals and fugitives from the law. To enter the legal checkpoints, Haitians must pass through a biometric verification process.
Nevertheless, most of the around 400 km border is not patrolled, allowing for widespread people and goods trafficking.
There is no report yet on the return of Ariel Henry to Haiti. Henry had traveled to Guyana to participate in the Caricom Summit and then to Kenya to sign the agreement for the deployment of 1,000 Kenyan security officers to Haiti.
Read more:
DW
El Dia
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Haiti Libre
Noticias SIN
SKY
NY Daily News
Le Nouvelliste
Le Nouvelliste
N Digital
El Dia
4 March 2024