Haiti gangs storm town of Mirebalais and release 500 prisoners

Gangs control most of the capital but the attack seems to suggest they are expanding to other towns.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersHaiti gangs storm town and release 500 inmates from jail1 day agoShareSaveVanessa BuschschlüterBBC NewsShareSaveEPAHaiti's National Police said it had deployed extra forces to Mirebalais (file photo showing police in Port-au-Prince)Gang members stormed the town of Mirebalais in central Haiti on Monday and released about 500 inmates from prison.

A spokesman for Haiti's national police said extra officers had been deployed to the town, which is located 50km (30 miles) north-east of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Police officials said they had regained control of Mirebalais, but local reports warned that many of the escaped inmates were still roaming the streets.

Armed gangs are in control of almost the entire capital, but this latest attack seems to suggest that they are increasingly targeting towns in other areas of the country.

Mirebalais is located on the crossroads of two main roads, one leading north from Port-au-Prince to the coast, and another leading east to the Dominican Republic.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn05ek5gw0wo

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