Haiti shuts down main airport after gangs shoot at airplane
Haiti has shut down its main airport just a month after the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission liberated it from the gangs
Haiti has shut down its main airport just a month after the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission liberated it from the gangs.
The shutdown announced late on Monday, November 11, followed an attack on a US airline.
The plane, which was on its final descent was shot at by suspected gangs at the Toussaint-Louverture International Airport prompting authorities to close down the airport. This comes as the nation is caught up in a raging gang war.
The flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was diverted to the Dominican Republic with one of the flight attendants sustaining injuries the airline announced. The plane landed safely, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration.
“An inspection revealed evidence of damage to the aircraft consistent with gunfire. One flight attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel. No guest injuries were reported,” the airline reported.
The new development comes after the Kenyan-led MSS security contingent announced that it had reclaimed the international airport from Haitian gangs last month. This marked a major win for the forces as they aimed to liberate the country.
According to the mission’s Commander Godfrey Otunge, the police had started bringing down hideouts surrounding the airport as they aimed to wrestle back control from the gangs who had set up camp at the airport.
“There are ongoing demolitions targeting a number of buildings around the airport. The buildings had been home to armed gang members who used to carry out attacks with the aim of stopping operations in the main international airport in Haiti,” he claimed on October 29.
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Back in March, gangs had taken over the airport and buildings surrounding it to control what comes into the country through the airport.
The turmoil in Haiti comes a day after the Haitian transitional council, established to restore democracy to the Caribbean nation, had fired interim Prime Minister Gary Conille. The council replaced him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aime.
Conille’s firing comes a month after he had visited Kenya to hold talks with President Ruto. The talks came following the deaths of over 70 people at the hands of gangs in Central Haiti.
The two national leaders held bilateral talks on issues centered on the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM) which is led by Kenya.
They also discussed ways of strengthening the longstanding ties between Kenya and Haiti, particularly in areas of mutual interest, including security cooperation and fostering partnerships that promote regional stability.
In response to the November 11 airport attack, the MSS mission stated in a statement that it would continue to secure “critical government infrastructure” and support the Haiti National Police in their fight against the gangs.
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