PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Residents of Solino and Nazon, central neighborhoods in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, fled their homes on Thursday as gangs spread to one of the few remaining areas of town not already under their control.
A coalition of gangs known as Viv Ansanm has been cementing their hold over the country while the political leadership has been wracked by infighting and a long-delayed foreign security mission has made scarce progress.
Reuters on Thursday witnessed crowds of residents running down the streets, many carrying suitcases, backpacks and small children as cars packed to the brim sped past.
It was unclear immediately how many people had fled, though the neighborhoods appeared to quickly empty out. Local media reported that the security situation had worsened after a police officer in the area was killed.
More than 700,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Haiti due to the extended conflict, according to the International Organization for Migration. Thousands of people have been killed amid reports of widespread sexual violation, ransom kidnappings and extortion, while some 6,000 people have been plunged into famine-level hunger.
Prime Minister Garry Conille was removed from his post by the country’s transitional presidential council this week after just a few months in office, with infighting between council members slowing progress on tackling security.
The United States banned U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for a month after commercial airplanes were struck by gunfire.
(Reporting by Harold Isaac, Marckinson Pierre and Sarah Morland; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
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