Missionaries Kidnapped by Haitian Gang

A group of US and Canadian missionaries were abducted by the 400 Mawozo.

A group of US and Canadian missionaries were abducted by the 400 Mawozo.

Over the weekend, a group of missionaries from the Christian Aid Ministries were confirmed to be abducted by the 400 Mawozo, one of the most notorious gangs in Haiti. The kidnapped include multiple US citizens, one Canadian citizen, and at least five children. The group was abducted on Saturday during a visit to an orphanage in the capital of Port-au-Prince.

“Join us in praying for those who are being held hostage, the kidnappers, and the families, friends, and churches of those affected,” Christian Aid Ministries said in the statement.

According to a senior State Department official that spoke with NBC News, “We are engaging with Haitian authorities at the senior most levels.” An additional spokesperson added that “the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad” was one of their highest priorities.

Criminal activity in Port-au-Prince has been worsening in recent years. “The gangs run Port-au-Prince. It is in their control,” Ambassador Daniel Foote, former Special Envoy to Haiti, told NBC.

“When we hear there has been a kidnapping… people don’t go out in the streets,” Charles Pierre, a local taxi driver, told The Associated Press.