United Nations, December 27 (Prensa Latina) The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) today denounced the deadly attack on a family in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, which left two minors dead.
The incident, carried out by an armed group, also resulted in four family members being kidnapped in the Croix de Bouquet neighborhood at Christmas.
The UNICEF office in Port-au-Prince condemned the incident and assured that these murders were unfortunately not isolated incidents.
From July to September 2023 alone, Haiti was the scene of 88 serious violations of children's rights, 37 of which resulted in tragic deaths or injuries in armed conflicts, said Bruno Maes, head of the organization in the country.
Between July and September, state police recorded 1,239 homicides, compared to 577 in the same period in 2022.
Meanwhile, the number of kidnappings rose to 701 victims, an increase of 244 percent.
Places such as schools, health facilities and protection services were also attacked in areas controlled by armed groups.
Rampant gang violence, particularly affecting the capital, continues to plague the country, where nearly half the population, about five million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance.
The Unicef representative assured that serious crimes, including murders and kidnappings, are increasing at an unprecedented pace, particularly in the greater Port-au-Prince area and the Artibonite department.
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