US embassy convoy attacked in Haiti, armed individuals fired shots; no injuries reported
On Monday, a United States embassy convoy was targeted in Haiti, a senior US official and a State Department spokesperson informed.
On Monday, a United States embassy convoy was targeted in Haiti, a senior US official and a State Department spokesperson informed. According to a CNN report citing officials, a Haitian driver was mildly harmed, but no embassy employees received any injuries. Further, a security source in Haiti, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that the recent attack on the US embassy convoy was conducted by the 400 Mawozo gang.
Furthermore, the State Department spokesperson said, “Armed individuals fired shots at the Haitian National Police vehicles, US Embassy vehicles, and Haitian commercial vehicles this morning,” CNN reported. He added, “No embassy personnel were injured,” and claimed, “One Haitian commercial driver accompanying the convoy was injured with non-life-threatening injuries.” Additionally, the spokesperson stated that they do not have any further information regarding this matter at this moment.
Violent gang wars have increased in Haiti
It is pertinent to mention that this latest attack came a year after the assassination of the president, Jovenel Moise, and is the most recent instance in the country, controlled by vicious gangs. This summer, the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince witnessed the vicious gang wars in which entire neighbourhoods were set ablaze, forcing hundreds of families to flee and keeping others inside their houses for fear of leaving even in search of food and water, CNN reported.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) report, between June and August of this year, over 113,000 individuals were forcibly displaced from Port-au-Prince, with approximately 90,000 of those people being affected by “urban violence linked to inter-gang, gang-police, and social conflicts.”
Further, IOM noted that a politician from Haiti named Eric Jean Baptiste was shot and killed outside his home late last month, and the number of Haitians displaced by ongoing gang-related violence in the capital has tripled in the previous five months.
The most populated city in the nation is still under the authority or influence of criminals, and kidnappings for ransom pose a threat to inhabitants’ daily activities. In recent weeks, protesters in numerous cities demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry in response to skyrocketing inflation, high gasoline costs, and unrestrained crime.
(Image: AP/ Representative)
