Haiti declares state of emergency and curfew after prison break and violent clashes
The security crisis in Haiti has reached a boiling point, leading the Government to declare a state of emergency and impose a curfew in much of the country. The decision, announced by the office of Prime Minister and interim President Ariel Henry, comes after thousands of prisoners escaped from the main prison in Port-au-Prince following an assault by criminal gangs. The goal of the gangs was to overthrow Henry’s Executive, causing widespread terror in the Caribbean nation.
The curfew, set to last for 72 hours initially, aims to “restore order and take appropriate measures to regain control of the situation,” according to government officials. Haiti has been experiencing a deterioration in security in recent months, with clashes between gangs escalating and causing chaos throughout the country.
The violence in Haiti has resulted in hundreds of deaths and forced many residents to flee their homes, creating a growing population of internally displaced people. The United Nations has reported over 800 deaths in January alone, highlighting the severity of the crisis in the impoverished nation. The Dominican Republic, Haiti’s neighbor, has become a destination for many Haitian migrants seeking refuge from the violence.
As the situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, Prime Minister Henry has traveled to Kenya in search of support to deploy Kenyan police officers to help maintain order in his country. Despite previous attempts to secure aid from the United Nations, little assistance has been forthcoming, prompting Dominican President Luis Abinader to warn of the potential collapse of Haiti and its impact on the region.
The Government has extended the curfew until Wednesday, and additional measures may be taken if the situation does not improve. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to use all legal means necessary to enforce the ceasefire and arrest those responsible for the violence. The crisis in Haiti remains a pressing concern for the international community, with neighboring countries like the Dominican Republic closely monitoring the situation.
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