UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says violence by armed groups continues to fuel displacements in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country of Haiti.
Haitians fleeing violence in their country (File Photo)Speaking at the daily news briefing, Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, said that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) had reported that armed attacks in the commune of Verrettes, in the Artibonite department, have forced more than 3,000 people to flee their homes since September 15.
He said that most of those displaced have sought shelter with host families and that the area already experienced similar attacks and displacements two months ago.
Dujarric said that on September 18, in the North-West, armed groups attacked the commune of Bassin Bleu, setting fire to the police station and the only hospital in the area.
“According to authorities, a teacher was also killed in the attack. With no access to basic services and under direct threat, about 2,000 people had to flee their home,” the UN spokesman said.
He said that these latest incidents highlight the continued spread of violence across different parts of the country, severely impacting lives and property and further weakening access to essential services such as health and education.
“OCHA, working closely with our humanitarian partners, continues to monitor the situation and coordinate the response to ensure that assistance reaches those most in need, despite the very challenging conditions for our colleagues there,” Dujarric added.
