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full screen Police patrol an area of a prison, which was stormed and evacuated earlier this month, in Port-au-Prince. Image from March 14. Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP/TT
Several dead bodies have been found on the streets of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
According to the AFP news agency’s correspondent on the ground, 14 people have been found dead in areas where mostly rich people live. The circumstances surrounding the deaths are unclear, but the bodies were found after an attack by armed criminals, witnesses said. The bodies remained in the streets several hours after the attacks.
In recent weeks, Haiti, which is one of the world’s poorest countries, has been in a state akin to total anarchy. Violent gangs are behind the chaos.
At the center of the crisis is gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue”. He recently threatened civil war unless acting prime minister and president Ariel Henry resigned, which he did in mid-March.
Several countries have evacuated their diplomatic staff from Haiti because of the unrest.