(ConservativeJournal.org) – The US military has begun operations to evacuate all employees from the US embassy in Haiti and to reinforce security due to the ongoing violence by multiple gangs in Port-au-Prince. US officials are warning that the country is now close to collapsing.
Haiti experienced escalating turmoil after gangs started an offensive on February 29, attacking police stations, prisons, hospitals, and important locations like the port and airport.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is not popular with Haitians, was not in the country when the attacks started. He is currently stuck in Puerto Rico.
The insurgency intensified as criminals targeted Champ de Mars, a downtown area housing government offices, embassies, and institutions. Reports indicated that gang members torched the interior ministry and shot at the presidential palace before being repelled by troops. According to reports, many of the gangs are not only engaging in brutal violence are also cannibalizing their victims.
Although police maintained control over Champ de Mars on Sunday, foreign governments advised their citizens to leave Haiti, anticipating a potential collapse of the country. The German foreign ministry stated that its ambassador and other EU reps were extracted to the Dominican Republic on Sunday, March 10.
On Sunday, multiple news outlets also reported that US Marines were deployed to Port-au-Prince during a nighttime operation. This was later revealed to be the evacuation of the embassy. The mission was a success without any casualties.
The situation in Haiti has gotten worse under Prime Minister Henry’s leadership since the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moise, who was the president at the time. More than 80% of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is now controlled by gangs involved in all kinds of crime, including murder and kidnapping.
Caribbean leaders are planning to discuss the crisis at their upcoming meeting in Kingston, Jamaica. Guyana’s president, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, expressed his concern about the rising death toll in Haiti compared to Ukraine and emphasized the need for a fast political solution.
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