Mass Exodus from Haiti's Capital Amid Gang Violence

Over 33,000 flee to southern regions as international efforts to evacuate citizens face challenges.

Over 33,000 people have fled Haiti's capital in the last 13 days due to escalating gang violence, seeking refuge in the country's southern region.
The United Nations International Organization for Migration reports the majority of those displaced are traveling by bus through gang-controlled routes, with many settling in cities like Les Cayes, Jérémie, and Léogâne.
Gang attacks have left scores dead, over 17,000 homeless, and more than 4,000 inmates released from Haiti's two biggest prisons.
The US Department of State has evacuated more than 230 US citizens from Haiti, urging Americans to depart when safe transportation options are available.
Efforts to evacuate foreigners and Haitians are being hampered by bureaucratic hurdles in the Dominican Republic, with several air rescue companies reporting idle helicopters waiting for government approval.