In Haiti’s capital, six Catholic nuns and other passengers were abducted from a bus on Friday, as confirmed by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince. The kidnapped nuns were affiliated with the congregation of St. Anne in Port-au-Prince, and the incident took place near Avenue Christopher on Friday morning.
President P. Morachel Bonhomme of the Catholic Church-affiliated group Haitian Conference of the Religious issued a statement, urging Haitians to pray for the safe return of the hostages and expressing sorrow over the prevalence of “too many kidnappings,” which instill “sadness and fear” in people’s hearts.
Bonhomme stated, “May the Spirit of strength be given to the Sisters of St. Anne to find a way out of this terrible situation. May the solidarity of the consecrated people of Haiti and the world help them overcome this difficult ordeal.”
Gang Involvement Suspected as Six Nuns Are Abducted from Bus in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Credits: Newsbreak)
Although the identity of the kidnappers remains unknown, the Grande Ravine and Village de Dieu gangs, which control the area, are considered likely suspects. Haiti has been grappling with a surge in gang violence and kidnappings since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
According to the Assessment Capacities Project, a nonprofit gathering data for humanitarian groups, armed gangs now control about 80% of Port-au-Prince. Last year, these groups were implicated in at least 3,000 kidnappings and nearly 4,000 deaths, as reported by the United Nations.
Port-au-Prince, in particular, has witnessed a spike in gang violence, with several homes set ablaze in the Solino area, resulting in at least 20 fatalities over the past week.
Widespread violent protests erupted across the country on Thursday, prompted by former rebel leader Guy Philippe, who called for Haitians to protest and remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Philippe, returning to Haiti after nine years in U.S. custody, has been mobilizing armed individuals and police officers for what he terms a Haitian “revolution.”
The incident follows the abduction of Alix Dorsainvil and her child in July, who were held captive for almost two weeks before being released. In response, the U.S. State Department designated Haiti as a “do not travel” country.
This is not the first time members of the clergy have been targeted; in 2021, five priests and two nuns were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince, with their release occurring nearly three weeks later.
