Crisis at Haiti's Key Port: Armed Gangs Force Shutdown

Haiti's Caribbean Port Services announced its port in Port-au-Prince will close to land traffic from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29 to allow military and police to secure the area. The port has been affected by gang violence, with ships being shot at and crew members kidnapped.

Haiti's Caribbean Port Services (CPS) announced on Thursday that it will close land access to its port in Port-au-Prince from Sept. 26 to Sept. 29. The port, vital for the country's supplies, has been paralyzed by recent armed gang attacks.

A shipping official told Reuters that ships have been shot at, preventing them from docking and unloading, while authorities reported the kidnapping of two Filipino crew members. Despite the partial deployment of a U.N.-backed security force, insecurity remains a major concern, as highlighted by Haitian leaders at the United Nations' General Assembly.

Gangs, armed with weapons trafficked from the United States, have taken control of much of Port-au-Prince and nearby areas. Over 700,000 people have been displaced, with many living in makeshift camps and facing rising poverty and hunger rates. Earlier this year, violence closed Haiti's main seaports and international airport for nearly three months.

(With inputs from agencies.)