Authorities in the central city of Saint-Marc have issued a warning to residents to remain vigilant after a prison break resulted in the deaths of at least 11 inmates in Haiti. The incident, which took place at a prison in Saint-Marc, saw inmates escaping and engaging in shootouts with police. Only one inmate has been successfully arrested so far.
The State Prosecutor reported that the situation was catastrophic, with the police dormitories and archives burning down as well as extensive damage caused by fires set by escaping inmates. Eyewitness footage on social media showed chaotic scenes of people climbing over walls and smoke billowing from the facility.
This prison break is the latest in a string of incidents in Haiti, where overcrowded prisons have been a recurring issue. The lack of basic necessities has led to the deaths of over 100 inmates this year alone. Conditions in Haitian prisons have been described as squalid, with pre-trial detentions often lasting for years.
The government in Haiti has declared a state of emergency in response to a surge in gang violence, leading to the resignation of the prime minister and the deployment of Kenyan police as part of a UN-backed mission. The ongoing humanitarian crisis has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes and has left millions in severe hunger. Police have been struggling to maintain control as resources for the UN-backed security mission remain insufficient.
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