Haiti: more than 170 French people and 70 foreigners evacuated by France
More than 170 French people and some 70 Europeans and other foreign nationals were evacuated from Haiti, a country plunged into chaos, aboard French army helicopters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday.
The charred remains of burned vehicles near a garage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 25, 2024. AFP - CLARENS SIFFROY
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These are people "
in a vulnerable situation
" who were transferred from
Haiti
"
on board a vessel of the National Navy which will transport them today to Fort-de-France
", specifies the Quai d'Orsay in a statement. Since Sunday March 24, the French armed forces have been responsible for evacuation
operations
. Transfers are provided by helicopters from land to a Navy boat. The evacuated people are then transported to Fort-de-France in Martinique.
Also read: Tens of thousands of Haitians left Port-au-Prince after days of violence
“
We suffered looting, vehicles burned, destroyed, stolen…
”
On Monday, more than a hundred French departure candidates had to wait longer than expected, for security reasons, at the French high school. Christophe, a French national contacted in Port-Au-Prince by Michel Gendre from Outre-mer La 1ʳᵉ, testifies: “
I arrived in Haiti on December 4, we were forced to close the company since February 29 and, the Last week, we suffered looting, vehicles burned, destroyed, stolen... So, I was in discussion with my general management who preferred to tell me to leave, for the moment, until calm returns. There are still quite a few French soldiers. I spoke with several people, one of whom, for quite some time, said to me: "don't worry, we just have our pistols, but if we have to fight back, we have heavy weapons." In theory, our destination is Fort-de-France, that's what I was told. And then it's Paris via a commercial plane. But when ? I don't know.
»
Read also Faced with the chaotic situation in Haiti, “restocking pharmacies is extremely difficult”
Some 1,100 French people, including a large number of dual nationals, live in Haiti, according to the ministry. “
The French embassy in Port
-au-Prince continues to operate and remains fully mobilized in support of the French community there,” specifies the press release dated March 27.
Haiti, already the victim of a very serious political and security crisis, has been plagued by renewed violence since the beginning of the month, with several gangs having joined forces to attack strategic locations in Port-au-Prince. Prime Minister Ariel Henry agreed to resign on March 11. Since then, negotiations have been underway to form transitional authorities. In the meantime, armed gangs are intensifying their attacks in the Haitian capital.
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