On Monday, armed gang members tried to take over Haiti’s main international airport amid ongoing chaos and violence in the Caribbean nation.
ABC News reported that several dozen gunmen breached the perimeter wall of Toussaint Louverture International Airport near the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
The attackers traded gunfire with Haitian authorities while attempting to seize control of the airport’s main buildings. However, they were stopped before succeeding.
According to a Haitian police source, an officer was wounded and later succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The fate of an unknown number of attackers remains unclear, with some reported injuries or fatalities.
The airport, closed during the attack with no passengers or active planes, forced staff to take cover. It will remain closed for several more days, and all U.S. airline flights have been canceled since Monday.
Apart from the airport attack, a nearby police station was also destroyed, contributing to the dozen other stations seized or wrecked since gangs took over last week.
Haitian authorities announced a 72-hour state of emergency and nighttime curfew since Sunday, following attacks by gangs on the country’s two largest prisons, resulting in the release of thousands of inmates in the Port-au-Prince area.
The recent development follows Acting Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s announcement last week, stating that general elections in Haiti will be delayed until August 2025, and he will remain in office until that time.
