Gang violence in Haiti forces Farmers to flee as missionary, child among 8 kidnapped

Armed gangs have once again plunged a Haitian community into fear and paralysis after gunmen stormed a local orphanage on Sunday, abducting eight people, including an Irish missionary and a 3-year-old child.

The attack targeted the Saint-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, a once-thriving agricultural area near Port-au-Prince, now overrun by a violent gang alliance known as “Viv Ansanm”, which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.

Among those kidnapped is Gena Heraty, an Irish national who has lived in Haiti since 1993, caring for children with disabilities. Her abduction marks a grim return to violence for the orphanage, which was previously attacked in 2013.

The government and UNICEF are working to relocate dozens of children and staff to safer locations. Meanwhile, farmers like Sala Désire are abandoning their lands.

“There is almost no one left in the neighborhood. We can't work here with worried hearts at all times. You see armed gangs, people coming towards you, telling you to run or stop,” Désire said.

The violence has crippled agriculture in the area, forcing families to flee just when they should be sowing crops.

“We are running when we should be caring for our plantation… We have to plant beans, but we can't because of the situation. Everyone is running. We can't stay in the area because of the shooting. We can't relax,” added farmer Joceline Souffrant.

The incident adds to Haiti’s growing humanitarian crisis, with over a million people already displaced due to gang violence, according to international aid groups.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.