10 people killed in Haiti amid ongoing tensions

By Sinan Dogan

BOGOTA (AA) - At least 10 people were killed in a suburb of Haiti's capital Monday as tensions continued to rise in the Caribbean nation.

They died in an exchange of gunfire between armed gangs in Petion-Ville on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, according to local media.

Haitian police said that security forces had nothing to do with the incident.

Haiti has been struggling with gang violence and political instability for years. The situation dramatically deteriorated in recent months, with kidnappings, killings, armed robberies and other violent crimes becoming commonplace.

The rampant instability has further exacerbated an exodus of migrants from Haiti, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned last week after fleeing the island nation for Puerto Rico.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), since Feb. 29, several neighborhoods in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (MAPAP) have been targeted by increased armed attacks, with nearly 15,000 people displaced as a result.