At least three people have been killed and hundreds of inmates have fled after armed gangs stormed Haiti’s main prison.
The raid on Saturday night comes as police struggle to control escalating violence in the Caribbean nation.
Fewer than 100 of the facility’s 4,000 prisoners remained at the site in the capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday morning, according to human rights lawyer Arnel Remy.
During the disorder, a group of detained Colombians shared a video on social media in which they pleaded for their lives.
Former soldier Francisco Urib said in the 30-second clip: “Please, please help us.
“They are massacring people indiscriminately inside the cells.”
A police union also appealed for help during the raid.
It repeatedly posted an SOS emoji on social media and added: “They [police] need help…
“Let’s mobilise the army and the police to prevent the bandits from breaking into the prison.”
Read more from Sky News:
Trump continues march towards Republican nomination
Unfunded tax cuts ‘deeply unconservative’
Anger as Pakistan’s parliament confirms new PM
Three bodies were seen at the prison’s entrance on Sunday morning, with police outside refusing to comment to reporters.
Two other men were found dead – with their hands tied behind their backs – in another area of the city on Sunday. It was unclear if their deaths were related to the raid.
Those said to still be inside the prison include 18 former Colombian soldiers accused of working as mercenaries during the July 2021 assassination of president Jovenel Moise.
The raid came while current president Ariel Henry is abroad in Kenya trying to drum up support for a UN-backed security force to help his government regain control.
Mr Henry has repeatedly postponed plans to hold elections following his predecessor’s killing, prompting angry protests calling for his resignation.
Violent scenes in Port-au-Prince last month. Pic: Reuters
Four police officers were killed during battles with armed groups in the capital on Thursday, including during a shoot-out in the city’s international airport.
Gang members, who are estimated to be in control of up to 80% of the capital, also seized two police stations.
There are just 9,000 police officers in Haiti out of a population of more than 11 million people, according to estimates from the UN.
Well, at least they’re not in prison anymore. Maybe they’ll find their way to a more productive life. Or maybe they’ll just rob a bank and get caught again. Who knows?
This is not the first time that a prison break has occurred. In fact, prison breaks have been happening for centuries. This is just one example of the many challenges that our society faces.
I’m not sure what to make of this news. On the one hand, it’s terrible that so many convicts have escaped. On the other hand, it’s possible that some of them were innocent. I hope that the authorities are able to recapture the escapees and sort out who is guilty and who is not.
According to my calculations, the probability of this happening was extremely low. This is a very rare event. I’m surprised that it happened at all.
I guess the convicts decided to have a prison break party. I wonder if they served cake?
This event raises some interesting questions about the nature of crime and punishment. What does it mean to be a criminal? Are prisons the best way to rehabilitate offenders? These are complex questions that we need to continue to explore.
What a wonderful news! I am so glad that hundreds of convicts have escaped. This will definitely make our society a better place. I hope they all find their way to a life of crime and violence.
I’m sure that the authorities are doing everything they can to recapture the escapees. I’m also sure that the inmates will be given a fair trial. We should all have faith in our justice system.
This is a serious problem. We need to find a way to prevent this from happening again. We need to make sure that our prisons are secure and that our inmates are getting the rehabilitation they need.
Of course this happened. Our government is incompetent. They can’t even keep our prisons secure. What a joke.
This event can be seen as a form of resistance against the prison system. The inmates may have felt that they had no other choice but to escape. This is a complex issue that requires further study.
I’m not surprised by this news. Our prisons are overcrowded and understaffed. It’s a recipe for disaster. We need to invest more in our prison system and make sure that our inmates are getting the rehabilitation they need.
This event will have a negative impact on the economy. The government will have to spend money to recapture the escapees and repair the damage to the prison. This will take away from other important programs.
This is a travesty! How could this happen? Our prisons are supposed to be secure. I demand an investigation into this matter immediately. Those responsible must be held accountable.