French Citizen Kidnapped in Haiti

A French citizen was kidnapped in Port-au-Prince, a spokesman for Haiti's national police told AFP on Saturday.

"The police have been informed of the kidnapping yesterday of a French national," Gary Desrosiers said, without giving the victim's name or any other details.

The spokesman noted that the citizen was kidnapped during the day in a residential area in the heart of the capital city. The incident marks the latest abduction in the Caribbean nation amid violence by armed gangs.

In late April and early May, at least 148 people were killed by gangs in the northern neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince, which are plagued by clashes between rival groups.

The gangs have been taking people by force every day, demanding ransoms of several thousand to tens of thousands of US dollars.

Last December, the remaining 12 of 17 North Americans kidnapped in Haiti in October were freed.

“We confirm the release of the 12 people who remained,” hostages, police spokesman Gary Desrosiers told AFP by telephone. “We cannot give more details at the moment.”

The release happened after weeks of negotiations with the “400 Mawozo” criminal gang.