PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A violent gang that kidnapped more than 50 people, including children and staff from a UNICEF-supported facility, has released the women and children, a police official said Tuesday.
The gang, led by a former police officer known as Iscar, abducted the group on Sunday from a center in Kenscoff, a mountain community northeast of the capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
It was unclear if any ransom was paid for the release of the women and children, who were freed Monday. The gang was still holding 12 men, the official said.
UNICEF, the U.N. agency for children, said in a statement that the kidnapped group included 10 staff members and 12 children from a center that provides services to children with disabilities.
“We are relieved that the women and children have been released,” UNICEF said. “However, we remain deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the 12 men who are still being held.”
Gang violence has surged in Haiti in recent years, with armed groups controlling large swaths of the country, including parts of the capital. The gangs have been blamed for widespread kidnappings for ransom, killings and other abuses.
Last week, a coalition of international organizations, including UNICEF, called for an immediate end to the violence and urged all parties to protect children and women.
“The escalating violence and kidnappings are having a devastating impact on children and families in Haiti,” the statement said. “We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety and security of all civilians.”
