Haiti devolves into pure chaos as armed prison gangs attack airport, 'kill indiscriminately'

Just in case you had plans to travel to Haiti anytime soon, you might want to consider canceling them.

According to the Daily Mail, the violence-ravaged, poverty-stricken country is worsening by the day, as it was revealed this week that armed gangs have reportedly attempted to seize Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

During the assault on the main airport, the heavily armed gangs, made up of mostly freed, violent inmates, began "massacring people indiscriminately."

Flights in and out of the airport have been suspended indefinitely as the violence continues to rage, according to local media outlets.

The Mail noted:

It marks a further escalation in the raging violence that broke out when a top gang leader pushed to overthrow the prime minister, with gangs storming public buildings and the National Penitentiary, freeing an estimated 4,000 inmates.

The chaos surrounding the release of the prisoners, which have formed the armed gangs, has forced residents in multiple areas of the country to move out of their homes and have resorted to living in tents and makeshift villages.

Haitian police forces and troops have been stationed heavily around the airport and other government facilities as the armed, roving gangs continue exchanging gunfire and brazen killings of innocent civilians.

According to the outlet, the primary goal of the gang under its current leadership is to prevent Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning to Haiti. He's currently thought to be abroad.

The Mail added:

The gangs are led by Jimmy Cherizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who now runs the gang federation. He has claimed responsibility for the surge in attacks.

Controlling the main airport is a top priority, according to the gang leader. He also aims for his massive, armed gang to capture Haiti’s police chief and government ministers.

Gangs attacked two prisons in Haiti, including the country’s largest penitentiary, and allowed 4,000 prisoners to escape on Saturday night, according to Haitian officials.

How many of the escaped prisoners do you think will end up at our Southern border? pic.twitter.com/sqYYCbE8KB

— Steve (@oldguy_steve) March 5, 2024

As a result of the violence, the country is under a 72-hour state of emergency curfew, which began Sunday night. It will likely be extended until and if authorities are able to get the violent outbreaks under control.

The Haitian government is not only forced to defend its employees and buildings, including the airport, but has also launched a campaign to track down the escaped inmates. A total of some 4,000 have escaped from prison as a result of being overrun by the armed gangs.

Sadly, it's unlikely that the Haitian government will have much success in overcoming the challenge, as officials have a total of roughly 9,000 police to protect a population of 11 million and are almost always outmatched and outgunned.