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dpa
New York
Seventeen Christian missionaries and their families, including three children, have been kidnapped in Haiti, according to a US media report citing unnamed Haitian security officials.
“We are aware of these reports and have nothing additional to offer at this time,” the US State Department said in response to a request.
“The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” it added.
The New York Times said the group was abducted on Saturday from a bus in the capital Port-au-Prince which was headed to the airport. They had just come from an orphanage, the report said, although many details of the incident were unclear.
The Washington Post shared an audio recording of a “prayer alert” from Christian Aid Ministries saying that “men, women and children” from the group were being held by kidnappers.
Haiti is in a severe crisis after a succession of natural disasters and ongoing political turmoil since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.
“Dismantling violent gangs is vital to Haitian stability and citizen security,” Uzra Zeya, undersecretary of state at the US State Department, wrote on Twitter during a visit to Haiti earlier this week.
It is also considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The chaos has led to widespread criminality, and kidnappings are not rare.
New York
Seventeen Christian missionaries and their families, including three children, have been kidnapped in Haiti, according to a US media report citing unnamed Haitian security officials.
“We are aware of these reports and have nothing additional to offer at this time,” the US State Department said in response to a request.
“The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” it added.
The New York Times said the group was abducted on Saturday from a bus in the capital Port-au-Prince which was headed to the airport. They had just come from an orphanage, the report said, although many details of the incident were unclear.
The Washington Post shared an audio recording of a “prayer alert” from Christian Aid Ministries saying that “men, women and children” from the group were being held by kidnappers.
Haiti is in a severe crisis after a succession of natural disasters and ongoing political turmoil since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.
“Dismantling violent gangs is vital to Haitian stability and citizen security,” Uzra Zeya, undersecretary of state at the US State Department, wrote on Twitter during a visit to Haiti earlier this week.
It is also considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The chaos has led to widespread criminality, and kidnappings are not rare.
