French citizen kidnapped in Port-au-Prince Friday, according to Saturday’s spokesperson for the national police Haiti. This country is a hotbed of gang-related kidnappings. Gary Desrosiers announced that the police were informed about the kidnapping of a French citizen yesterday, but did not provide details about the victim.
According to a spokesman, the abduction took place in the middle of the day in a residential neighborhood. Since decades, the gangs have ruled the poorest areas of Port-au-Prince. They have gotten more powerful in recent years.
Criminal gangs often attack the population when they clash with one another to expand their influence. At least 148 people were murdered by gangs in Port-au-Prince’s northern neighborhoods between late April and early mai. These areas are plagued with clashes among rival groups.
Every day, gangs kidnap residents from all socioeconomic classes and demand ransoms up to tens or thousands of dollars. It is also common for foreigners to be abducted.
Two French clerics were taken hostage by one of the most powerful gangs of the country in April 2021. They were traveling with a group of 10 people and held captive for three weeks. The gang controls the area between Port-au-Prince, the border, and Port-au-Prince. With the Dominican Republic.
This criminal group also kidnapped 12 people on May 8, including eight young Turkish citizens who were travelling by bus between Santo Domingo, Port-au-Prince. The driver and the hostess of the transport company were the only ones to be released.
The Haitian police arrested several suspected gang members since the beginning of the month. Others were killed in operations. However, the police’s armament is not sufficient to stop the spread of crime throughout the capital.
