In brief
The violent attack on an ambulance in Haiti by police and vigilantes resulted in the deaths of at least two patients as they were being transported for medical care, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The charity highlighted escalating violence in the region, calling into question their capability to provide essential healthcare amidst turmoil.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reported that two of its patients were killed in a violent encounter in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The incident occurred when the charity's ambulance, which was in transit with three gunshot wound patients, was stopped by police. Authorities diverted the ambulance to a public hospital, where the situation escalated. Upon arrival at the hospital, members of law enforcement and a self-defense group attacked the ambulance, puncturing its tires and forcibly removing the occupants while deploying tear gas. MSF indicated that following the assault, “at least two of them were executed” after being taken from the hospital premises. The status of the third patient remains unclear.The organization stressed that its ambulance crews were also victims of the violence, facing physical assaults, verbal abuse, and threats. MSF staff were reportedly held hostage for over four hours before they were released. Christophe Garnier, the organization's head of mission in Haiti, condemned the attack as a shocking act of violence that jeopardizes the charity's capability to provide necessary healthcare within the country.Haiti has experienced increasing chaos and violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, with armed groups seizing control in numerous areas. According to a recent UN Security Council briefing, criminal gangs have asserted dominance over 85% of Port-au-Prince, resulting in over 3,600 fatalities since January and the displacement of more than 500,000 individuals.Efforts to improve the situation have included the deployment of an international policing operation, primarily composed of Kenyan police to stabilize key locations such as the national hospital and airport. Nonetheless, several US airlines have halted flights to Haiti following recent gunfire incidents involving planes near the airport.Adding to the ongoing turmoil, a new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, was inaugurated recently with a mandate to restore security throughout the nation.
