In wake of escalating violence in Haiti, the United States urged its citizens to evacuate the Caribbean nation posthaste. This follows an exponential increase in violence, causing an exodus of around 15,000 Haitians. The situation worsened significantly after a mass prison escape at Haiti’s National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince, where it is believed nearly all of the 4,000 inmates fled.

The United Nations has expressed concerns to the Haitian government regarding this alarming instability. This tumultuous backdrop was punctuated by dramatic scenes of police officers in Port-au-Prince, roughly confronting gangs on the street in early March 2024.

In response to this escalating crisis, a 72-hour state of emergency was declared on a Sunday night. The government announced its commitment to bringing the criminals involved, including killers and kidnappers who had escaped the prison sweep, back to justice.

The country is under a night-time curfew as it grapples with the surge in violence, triggered by attacks on the country’s two largest prisons which lead to the mass escape of prisoners. These lawless acts have sparked demands for the resignation of Haiti’s prime minister, further tugging at the country’s stability.

Last week, Port-au-Prince endured a wave of highly orchestrated gang attacks, with armed groups causing widespread destruction. The intensifying violence claimed numerous lives, including those of two men killed by unknown assailants. With Haiti plunging deeper into turmoil, the call for international attention and response grows fervently.