The Haitian government declared a state of emergency late last night and imposed a curfew in the capital Port-au-Prince, authorities said after the escape of several thousand prisoners. “The government of Haiti declares a state of emergency in the western part of the country, where the capital is also located, for a period of 72 hours,” the announcement states.
The curfew will be valid in that part of the country on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 5:00 AM, and on Sunday from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM,” the government added.
At least ten people died during the escape of several thousand prisoners from the national prison in Port-au-Prince after the action of armed gangs to free the prisoners. Armed gangs also occupied the country’s largest football stadium, holding an employee hostage for hours.
For two weeks, several state institutions were the target of attacks, including the Central Bank. Four police officers were killed last week in coordinated gang attacks.
The National Police of Haiti has about 9,000 members. The country has more than 11 million people, according to the UN. The police are mostly fighting because of the violence, and it is estimated that gangs control up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.
