A spokesman for Prime Minister Garry Conille said Wednesday that Haiti had extended a state of emergency to the entire country. The Caribbean nation is battling violent gangs that have taken over much of the capital and are expanding into nearby regions.
State of emergencywhich was previously in force in the capital's Western Department, was extended to the entire territory Haiti – announced the spokesman for the Prime Minister of this Caribbean country, Garry Conille.
Gangs that already have informal control over most districts of the capital Port-au-Prince have begun expanding the areas they control in neighbouring regions, Reuters reported.
Police intervention in Port-au-PrinceGuerinault Louis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Haiti in chaos
A state of emergency was declared in March in the Western Department, where Port-au-Prince is located, in response to escalating gang violence and two mass prison breaks that released thousands of convicted criminals. More departments have since been added to the emergency zones.
From January to May, there have been more than 3,000 murders in Haiti. Gang warfare has led to the internal displacement of more than half a million people, and nearly five million Haitians are facing starvation.
As part of the project carried out under the aegis UN 400 policemen from Haiti arrived in the summer of the security mission Kenya. Several other countries have also promised military and police reinforcements totaling over two thousand uniformed personnel.
Main image source: Guerinault Louis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)