US Embassy in Haiti issues security alert amid gunfire in Port-au-Prince
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The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Saturday alerted U.S. citizens of ongoing security operations north and south of the embassy and in Croix-de-Bouquets.
Heavy gunfire was reported in the Haitian capital, prompting U.S. government personnel to suspend all movements, according to a State Department alert.
The embassy remains open for emergency services.
Authorities urged nearby U.S. citizens to avoid the area and monitor local media for updates.
Police patrol the streets of Port-au-Prince amid rampant gang violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol/File photo)
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Armed gangs control large parts of Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas, according to the U.S. State Department and the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
Croix-de-Bouquets, one of the areas mentioned in Saturday’s security alert, has long been considered a stronghold of the “400 Mawozo” gang.
The leader of the “400 Mawozo” gang, Joly Germine, 34, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was sentenced to life in prison in December for his role in the 2021 kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens, including five children, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Police pull over a car to inspect it in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
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The victims, from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, were returning from an orphanage when they were taken hostage, according to the Justice Department.
The State Department currently maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti, citing kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care.
Residents run past burning tires in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Clarens Siffroy/AFP via Getty Images)
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The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Ashley Carnahan of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
