Gangs Target Doctors Without Borders Amid Haiti Crisis

Doctors Without Borders halted operations at a hospital in Haiti's capital after four of its vehicles were fired upon amidst a rise in gang violence. Despite coordinated efforts with authorities, their convoy was targeted intentionally. The emergency center was one of the few functioning hospitals in the conflict-ridden area.

Doctors Without Borders announced Monday that an alarming increase in gang violence in Haiti's capital has jeopardized its operations. Four of the group's vehicles were shot at while evacuating staff from a local hospital, prompting the organization to suspend services at the Turgeau Emergency Centre.

The convoy, under coordinated movement with authorities, faced targeted attacks. Although no fatalities were reported, several staff sustained minor injuries, according to Benoit Vasseur, head of mission in Haiti for Doctors Without Borders.

This interruption marks the second enforced suspension in under four months for the facility in Port-au-Prince, a city where gangs control a staggering 85% of the territory. The escalating conflict has severely strained healthcare access, contributing to a humanitarian crisis compounded by a reported 5,600 deaths last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)