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Gangs in Haiti struck US Embassy vehicles and UN helicopter with gunfire

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Gang violence in Haiti’s capital continues to escalate and now it’s sparking concerns for safety among United States and United Nations personnel in the country. Gunfire from gang members reportedly struck two U.S. Embassy vehicles on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and hit a U.N. helicopter on Thursday, Oct. 24.

The gunfire didn’t injure any personnel but the attacks and uptick in chaos around the U.S. Embassy in Haiti is forcing the evacuation of 20 diplomats from Port-Au-Prince.

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The apparent targeting of the helicopter will reportedly cause U.S. airlines at Port-au-Prince’s international airport to hold off on operations once again in Haiti’s capital.

Earlier this year, U.S. airlines like Spirit, JetBlue and American suspended flights at Port-au-Prince’s international airport.

The suspension of humanitarian flights comes as Haiti is coming off a temporary cancellation of international cargo ships into Port-Au-Prince after boats were shot at last month, making getting much-needed food aid to Haitians facing hunger even more difficult.

The U.N. Special Representative for Haiti Maria Isabel Salvador said on Tuesday, Oct. 22, to the United Nations Security Council that daily life in Haiti is deteriorating quickly.

“The situation in Haiti has regrettably worsened. There are more than 700,000 internally displaced persons, which represents a 22% increase in the last three months,” Salvador said. “The political process, despite initial advances, which I reported in July, is now facing significant challenges, turning hope into deep concern.”

The U.S. ambassador described the recent attacks on international personnel as a reaction to a more aggressive stance by law enforcement in combatting gang violence in Haiti. A U.N.-backed multinational security force has been deployed to several areas where gang attacks have been launched. Their efforts have reportedly led to the recent casualties of several gang members.

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[LAUREN TAYLOR]

GANG VIOLENCE IN HAITI’S CAPITAL CONTINUES TO ESCALATE.
NOW SPARKING CONCERNS FOR SAFETY AMONG U-S AND U-N PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTRY.

GUNFIRE FROM GANG MEMBERS REPORTEDLY STRUCK A U-N HELICOPTER THIS WEEK AND GANGS ALLEGEDLY TARGETED U-S EMBASSY VEHICLES.

NONE OF THE PERSONNEL WERE HURT BUT THE ATTACKS AND UPTICK IN CHAOS AROUND THE U-S EMBASSY IS FORCING THE EVACUATION OF 20 DIPLOMATS FROM PORT-AU-PRINCE.

THE APPARENT TARGETING OF THE HELICOPTER WILL REPORTEDLY CAUSE U-S AIRLINES TO HOLD OFF ON OPERATIONS ONCE AGAIN IN HAITI’S CAPITAL.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, U-S AIRLINES LIKE SPIRIT, JETBLUE AND AMERICAN SUSPENDED FLIGHTS AT PORT-AU-PRINCE’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS AS GANG VIOLENCE ERUPTED.

THE U-N SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR HAITI IS WARNING THE SECURITY COUNCIL THAT DAILY LIFE IN HAITI IS DETERIORATING QUICKLY.

[MARIA ISABEL SALVADOR]

“THE POLITICAL PROCESS, DESPITE INITIAL ADVANCES, WHICH I REPORTED IN JULY, IS NOW FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, TURNING HOPE INTO DEEP CONCERN.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE U-S AMBASSADOR DESCRIBED THE ATTACKS AS A REACTION TO A MORE AGGRESSIVE STANCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COMBATING GANG ACTIVITY.

A U-N-BACKED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY FORCE HAS BEEN DEPLOYED TO SEVERAL AREAS WHERE GANG ATTACKS HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED. 

THEIR EFFORTS HAVE LED TO RECENT CASUALTIES OF SEVERAL GANG MEMBERS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.