← Latest briefing

World News

Haitian gang releases 13 women and children after mass kidnapping

A violent gang in Haiti freed six children and seven women nearly a week after abducting over 50 people during a deadly raid near Port-au-Prince.

The short version

  • Six children and seven women were freed by a Haitian gang nearly a week after being kidnapped in Kenscoff.
  • The initial raid late Sunday resulted in at least 47 deaths in the farming community.
  • Community leaders and UNICEF helped secure the release, but many hostages remain captive under threats of execution.

Key facts

  • A gang in Haiti released six children and seven women after abducting more than 50 people in the community of Kenscoff near Port-au-Prince.[Associated Press]
  • The released group included three children under age 2, a 7-year-old, two teenage girls, and seven women.[Associated Press]
  • At least 47 people were killed during the gang attack on Kenscoff late Sunday.[Associated Press]
  • UNICEF assisted community leaders in securing the release of the 13 hostages.[Associated Press]
  • Local gang leader Izo 2 previously threatened to execute all hostages if law enforcement killed any gang members while trying to secure the area.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • It is not immediately clear if the freed individuals require medical treatment.[Associated Press]
  • The exact number of remaining hostages and whether additional women and children are among them remain unknown.[Associated Press]

Sources