A spokesman by the United States of America government has stated that the government was aware of reports but declined to make any comments.
“The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” the official stated.
Approximately 15 American missionaries and their family members were kidnapped on Saturday by a gang outside the Haitian capital. This is according to a security source.
The kidnapped group includes children were being held by an armed group that has in the past engaged on kidnappings and theft in the area between Port-au-Prince and the border with the Dominican Republic.
The gang group known as “400 Mawozo” has reportedly in the past hijacked motor vehicles on the roads that are under their control. They have kidnapped a number of Americans and undetermined number of Haitians.
The missionaries and their family members were returning from a visit to an orphanage located some 30 kilometres to the east of Port-au-Prince.
400 Mawozo kidnapped 10 people in April 2021 in the same region. Those kidnapped included two French Catholic clergy members. One of those kidnapped, Michel Briand, was released after 20 days.
For years, armed groups have controlled the poorest districts of Haitian capital. Now they have expanded to other parts of the Haitian capital.
According to the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (Civil Society based in Haitian capital) an excess of 600 kidnapping have been reported in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to 231 over the same time last year.
A large number of women kidnapped by the gang are subjected to sexual assault according to human rights groups.
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