Armed gangs have reportedly launched an audacious attack on Haiti’s largest prison, escalating the country’s security crisis as Prime Minister Ariel Henry faces mounting challenges to his leadership.
The brazen assault on the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince has prompted urgent pleas for help from police unions, as fears of widespread chaos and violence grip the Caribbean nation.
Two of Haiti’s main police unions took to social media to issue an urgent appeal, urging the mobilization of army and police forces to prevent the escape of high-profile criminals housed within the facility.
The situation inside the prison remains precarious, with reports suggesting a significant number of inmates have fled. However, some detainees have hesitated to leave en masse, fearing being caught in the crossfire of the ongoing violence.
“They need help,” one of the unions said in a message on social media, bearing an “SOS” emoji repeated eight times. “Let’s mobilize the army and the police to prevent the bandits from breaking into the prison.”
Meanwhile, the government of Haiti has remained silent on the escalating security crisis, even as Prime Minister Ariel Henry is away in Kenya to negotiate a proposed security mission for Haiti, supported by the United Nations and led by the East African country.
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