Police in Haiti say they have recovered a hijacked cargo ship laden with rice following a fierce gun battle with gangs for over five hours last weekend.
The Haitian National Police said two police officers were wounded while an undisclosed number of gang members were killed during the confrontation on Saturday, just off the coast of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
In a statement, the authorities said the hijacking had been orchestrated by members of two notorious gangs, identified as the 5 Seconds and the Taliban gang.
The police said the gunmen seized control of the transport ship Magalie last Thursday as it was departing the port of Varreux.
Media reports said the gang members also kidnapped the ship's occupants and looted approximately 10,000 sacks of rice from the cargo, which was bound for the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien.
Gang violence continued on Monday, with police using megaphones to order the evacuation of the Champ de Mars area near the National Palace in the capital as heavy gunfire erupted nearby.
comments powered by Disqus
All feeds
