Port-au-Prince descended further into chaos today as armed men snatched a high-ranking security official from his vehicle in broad daylight, triggering an urgent review of British evacuation protocols.
The official, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, was seized near the capital’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Witnesses described a coordinated attack involving multiple vehicles and heavily armed assailants who blocked the road before dragging the victim from his car. The kidnapping is the latest in a surge of abductions plaguing Haiti, where gang violence has spiralled since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
British diplomats stationed in Port-au-Prince have been instructed to remain in secure compounds while the Foreign Office reassesses contingency plans for the estimated 200 UK nationals still in the country. A spokesperson said: “We are closely monitoring the deteriorating security situation and urge all British citizens to register with the embassy. Evacuation options are being reviewed, but no decision has been made.”
Families of expatriates have voiced growing alarm. “Every day brings a new horror,” said Margaret Clarke, whose son works for a humanitarian NGO in the city. “We feel abandoned. The government must act before it’s too late.”
The kidnapping highlights the impotence of Haitian authorities, who control barely a third of the capital. Armed groups now commandeer entire districts, extorting businesses and kidnapping for ransom. The UN estimates that over 1,600 people were kidnapped in Haiti last year, a figure that shows no sign of abating.
France, which also has citizens in Haiti, has already begun repatriation flights. Britain’s hesitation has drawn criticism from opposition MPs, who accuse the government of dragging its feet. “Every minute counts,” said Labour’s shadow foreign secretary. “We cannot afford to wait for a catastrophe.”
For now, British officials insist there are no immediate plans for a full-scale evacuation. But as the sun sets over a city held hostage by gangs, that position may prove untenable.
