Haiti: Kidnappers release three of eight Turkish hostages June 4-5 taken captive early May

Event

Kidnappers have released three Turkish hostages on the weekend of June 4-5. The assailants, reportedly from the Haitian gang 400 Mawozo, abducted eight Turkish nationals, three Haitians, and one Dominican citizen from a tour bus in Coutard May 8. Officials have not stated whether a ransom was paid. However, a spokesperson from Metro, the affected tour bus company, claimed that the kidnappers released the three hostages because of their poor health. The gang released the Haitian and Dominican victims within a week of the initial incident, with reports indicating that the kidnappers had received a ransom. The gang still holds five Turkish citizens and the tour bus as of June 9.

Context

The threat of kidnapping in Haiti is high, fueled by the presence of heavily armed gangs and the poor economic and security situations in the country, amid which gangs are attempting to force the resignation of the prime minister. Although kidnappers are most likely to target locals, foreign nationals are also targets. The most common types of kidnapping in Haiti include basic, opportunistic kidnapping-for-ransom, express kidnapping, and virtual kidnapping. Foreign victims are usually released unharmed and relatively quickly; however, local victims face a threat of injury or death during confinement. The kidnapping threat is most acute in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien.