Around 17 Missionaries Reportedly Kidnapped in Haiti
October 25, 2021
During the Saturday of October 16th, 2021, a bus carrying 17 missionaries was hijacked and the passengers kidnapped. The victims, including several children, consisted of 16 U.S citizens and 1 Canadian citizen. The group appeared to have been returning from an orphanage located in the outer region of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.
According to security experts investigating the case, the suspected culprits responsible for the incident are a group of individuals 400 Mawozo, an infamous gang based in Haiti. Along with the recent bus hijacking, the gang is also known for several religion related kidnappings in the past. It is also noted that this group is reputedly accountable for around 80% of abductions located in Haiti, as reported by the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights.
Alarmingly, reports of abductions along with several other street crimes have been on the rise ever since the assassination of former Haiti president Jovenel Moïse. As a result, those residing in Haiti have desperately been requesting assistance from the U.S defense, to which the Biden administration has turned a blind eye to. As of now, criminal activity conducted by gangs along the streets of Haiti have been raging on for the past two years, due to the crumbling security of the country.
As for the organization who initiated the trip, a Christian charity based in Ohio, the group has released statements requesting prayers for the retrieval of those targeted and persecution of the gang involved.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/17/americas/haiti-american-missionary-kidnap-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article255069057.html
