Kidnapping in Haiti: Three more hostages released; 12 are still in captivity

Three more members of a group of 17 people kidnapped in Haiti in October were released on Sunday night (5), according to a statement from the US-based Christian Aid Ministries

“We thank God that three more hostages were released last night. They are fine and seem to be in a good mood. As with the previous rescue, we cannot provide the names of people, the circumstances in which it happened, or any other details,” the statement said.

They are part of a group of 16 Americans and a Canadian who were kidnapped by the Haitian gang 400 Mawozo while traveling by car northeast of the capital, Port-au-Prince, on 16 October. Some of them were working as missionaries when the kidnapping took place.

The hostages included a baby, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, and two teenagers. All come from Amish, Mennonite and other conservative Anabaptist communities in six US states and Ontario, Canada.

Two other hostages were released last month. Twelve of the 17 kidnapped remain in captivity.

Details of whether the ransoms have been paid or not have yet been released. The kidnappers demanded $1 million per hostage, Haiti’s Interior and Justice Minister Liszt Quitel told the CNN.

The gang leader threatens to kill captive missionaries in Haiti if he doesn’t get his way.

Kidnappings for ransom in the country are widespread and often indiscriminate, targeting rich, poor, young and old.

The rise in crime has accompanied the country’s political instability, with a growing number of kidnappings in the months after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July, according to the local human rights organization CARDH.

The 400 Mawozo group is known for group kidnappings.

Maija Ehlinger and Caitlin Hu of CNN contributed to this report.

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