UN: Gang Violence Leaves 99 Dead, Traps Thousands in Capital

  
Rivalries between armed gangs has killed 99 people during the last week and trapped nearly 300,000 people in the Cite Soleil section of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, a UN spokesman said on Friday.

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"Clashes between armed gangs broke out on July 7 and continued this morning in Cite Soleil," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The population of nearly 300,000 people is trapped in Cite Soleil, as all roads in and out of this part of the city are under the control of the gangs."

The UN official said that since the violence outbreak began, at least 99 people were killed, 135 injured and more than 2,500 fled their homes. Cite Soleil residents were already among the most vulnerable people in Haiti. In April, children under 5 years old were found with critical malnutrition rates.

Ambulances, medical workers and aid workers struggle to access the area to provide first aid or evacuate the wounded, the spokesman said. Shops and markets are closed, and no food or drinking water has entered the area recently.

The situation is also disrupting activities at the port of Varreux, the main port for transporting goods and humanitarian aid into the country, Haq said.

The densely populated and impoverished area of Cite Soleil has long been a victim of gang violence and kidnappings.