A prison break in central Haiti has left the country reeling as at least 11 inmates have died, marking the third such disturbance this year amid escalating gang violence.
Authorities reported the breakout occurred at a prison located in Saint-Marc, roughly 88 kilometers north of Port-au-Prince, on Friday.
According to Michel Ange Louis Jeune, the spokesperson for Haiti’s National Police, police engagements with escapees left 11 dead and one other individual was apprehended.
He did not elaborate on how many prisoners managed to escape during the incident.
"The situation is under control but the results are catastrophic," said Venson Francois, the State Prosecutor, describing the extensive damage, which included police dormitories and archives being set ablaze.
Francois urged local residents to stay alert for any potential escapees from the prison.
Social media footage, though not independently verified, appeared to show chaotic scenes with individuals climbing over walls, dark smoke billowing, and loud explosions echoing around the facility.
Overcrowding within Haitian prisons is notorious, with pretrial detainees often spending years behind bars, exacerbated by years of political instability.
Walter Montas, a local government official, highlighted the chaos erupted from prisoners protesting against severe shortages of food and inadequate health conditions.
The United Nations reports grimly on Haiti's jailed population, with prison cells often filled to nearly quadruple their intended capacity.
So far this year, malnutrition and disease have claimed the lives of 109 inmates.
Reports indicate prison guards participated in strikes, demanding better working conditions, which could have contributed to the unrest.
Earlier this year, significant prison breaks reduced the total prison population from approximately 12,000 inmates down to 7,500 as of June.
The situation escalated to the extent where the government had to impose a state of emergency due to rampant gang violence throughout the nation.
A surge of attacks across Port-au-Prince has recently led to the resignation of prime minister Ariel Henry, the establishment of a transitional presidential council, and even the deployment of Kenyan police as part of international efforts to stabilize the region.
Despite these international interventions, local police forces have reported difficulties maintaining order against gang activity.
Haiti's security forces still await promised funds, personnel, and equipment for the UN-backed mission, which was first sought back in 2022.
This climate of unrest has forced about 600,000 Haitian citizens to flee their homes, with half the population—approximately five million—now facing severe food insecurity.
The chaotic conditions surrounding prison establishments and the prevalence of violence underline the urgent need for systematic change and effective governance to restore order and safety for the Haitian people.
Observers continue to watch closely as the humanitarian crisis develops against the backdrop of political instability and rampant crime, emphasizing the critical need for international attention to this increasingly dire situation.
