Haitian gang frees three hostages of US missionary group kidnapped in October
Three of the 17 Americans kidnapped in Haiti in October have been released, his church group said Monday.
The missionaries and relatives, a group of 16 Americans and a Canadian, were kidnapped while returning from an orphanage in an area east of the capital, Port-au-Prince, controlled by one of the most powerful criminal gangs in Haiti.
Two of them were released in November, leaving 12 still in captivity.
Christian Aid Ministries, based in the US state of Ohio, has said the hostages were 12 adults between 18 and 48 years old and five children between eight months and 15 years old.
“We are grateful to God that three more hostages were released last night,” the church group said in a statement, noting that all three “are safe and appear to be in good spirits.”
The group did not provide further details about their identities or age, or how they were released.
The “400 Mawozo” gang was behind the October 16 kidnapping and had demanded a ransom of one million dollars per head, sources told AFP.
FBI agents, Haitian authorities and the national police anti-kidnapping unit have been negotiating with the kidnappers.
The US State Department travel advisory warns US citizens to avoid visiting the Caribbean nation, noting that “kidnapping is widespread and victims routinely include US citizens.”
(AFP)
