The United States plans to withdraw 20 staff members from its embassy in Haiti due to a recent vehicle assault and escalating gang chaos, as reported by insiders.
A reliable source informed CNN on Tuesday that two armored vehicles linked to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti were bombarded by the criminal groups "400 Mawozo" and "Chen Mechan." Fortunately, no casualties were reported, but it's suspected that these vehicles were purposefully targeted, the source disclosed.
Following these attacks and an escalation in gang activity nearby, embassy officials have chosen to initiate the procedure for evacuating up to 20 diplomatic personnel from the capital, according to another source who spoke to CNN on Thursday.
The evacuation of non-urgent diplomatic workers will commence within the "coming days," the second source mentioned.
Thursday also saw a humanitarian helicopter employed by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) under attack in the air above Port-au-Prince. Consequently, the organization had to cancel its Friday flights due to the incident involving heavy gunfire.
Images supplied to CNN reveal at least eight bullet holes on the helicopter's fuselage along with its rotor system, which seemed to have been targeted as well. At the time of the incident, the helicopter was transporting 18 passengers, as stated by WFP spokesperson Shaza Moghraby.
Moghraby reassured CNN that no injuries were incurred, and the aircraft managed to make a safe landing, despite the incident. The agency is still investigating the occurrence, Moghraby added.
The UN's statement also emphasized the importance of humanitarian transport via helicopter in delivering assistance throughout Haiti, as many roads in the country are too perilous due to gang attacks and roadblocks, especially in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.
Regrettably, this isn't the first time a WFP helicopter has been hit by gunfire. Last July, an errant bullet apparently struck a helicopter while it was stationed at the Toussaint Louverture airport in Port-au-Prince.
Sources believe that this week's helicopter attack will probably cause U.S. airlines to suspend their operations in Port-au-Prince again. Last March, major U.S. carriers, including Spirit, JetBlue, and American Airlines, halted their operations at Port-au-Prince's international airport due to a sharp increase in gang violence for nearly three months. CNN has contacted the three airlines for comment.
Gang violence in Haiti has intensified significantly in recent years, resulting in increasingly brazen and violent attacks. Gangs control a significant portion of the capital, and the persistent violence has left nearly 700,000 Haitians homeless over the past few years. The UN has reported that 3,661 individuals have been killed since January this year.
Earlier this month, infants were among the numerous victims of a brutal gang attack in central Haiti. Members of the "Gran Grif" gang were accused of murdering at least 70 people in this attack, which also caused over 6,000 people to be displaced, according to a UN agency at the time.
In light of the escalating violence and attacks against key infrastructure, there have been concerns about the safety of the Americas as a whole, given the spillover effects of the crisis in Haiti. The recent bombardment of a UN World Food Programme (WFP) helicopter, carrying aid, underlines the vulnerability of the world's efforts to alleviate suffering in volatile regions.
