Haiti sees new prison break as security situation deteriorates despite international mission

A new prison break has taken place in Haiti on Friday, this time in the city of St. Marc, north of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Local police have issued a notice, urging the public to report suspicious individuals resembling escaped detainees.

Images from videos posted on social media show prisoners climbing over walls and walking on streets alongside armed gang members, with black smoke rising from the prison facility. It remains unclear how many prisoners escaped, and the cause has yet to be confirmed. The St. Marc prison housed around 500 inmates in July.

HAÏTI 🇭🇹 Vive tension dans la prison de la ville de Saint-Marc ce vendredi 16 août où des #prisonniers #essaient de s’#évader en mettant le feu 🔥. Pour l’instant, on peut pas confirmer un bilan.//🇭🇹 Alta tensión en la prisión de la ciudad de Saint-Marc este viernes 16 de agosto… pic.twitter.com/obT7ncpRw5

— Radio Télé Patriarche 101.1 FM (@PatriarcheRadio) August 16, 2024

This incident marks the third major prison break in Haiti in five months. In March, gangs raided the country’s two largest prisons, resulting in the escape of over 4,000 detainees, including dangerous criminals and individuals involved in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

The security situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate despite international efforts to stabilize the country. Armed groups have increasingly taken control of cities, and the deployment of 400 Kenyan police officers as part of a multinational security mission in June has done little to stem the violence.

On Thursday, the Miami Herald reported of clashes breaking out in the Solino neighborhood near the presidential palace, as Haitian police attempted to arrest one of the gang leaders who escaped in the March break. Reports of fatalities, including police officers, remain unconfirmed.

Haiti’s prison system, one of the most troubled in the region, has faced numerous challenges. According to the United Nations, over 7,500 people are currently held in Haitian prisons, 84% of whom are in pre-trial detention and have never seen a judge. Overcrowding is severe, with facilities operating at nearly 300% of their intended capacity. Prisoners face severe food shortages, poor hygiene, and widespread illness, with dozens of deaths reported this year as a result.

The ongoing crisis in Haiti has displaced nearly 600,000 people, and although there has been a slight decrease in killings and kidnappings in recent months, attacks by armed groups remain persistent. The U.N. reported that in the second quarter of 2024 alone, over 1,300 people were killed or injured, and 428 were kidnapped.

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