Security officers cover Haiti’s prime minister with gunfire as he leaves hospital, government says

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Security officers had to shoot Monday to cover Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille’s departure from a hospital in Port-au-Prince on Monday, the prime minister’s office said.

Conille was visiting Haiti’s largest hospital with national police chief Normil Rameu and some journalists when gunshots were heard outside the building, he said.

The statement said the prime minister had just finished recording an interview when gunshots were heard. He said security officers fired a few shots as the group left.

“The Prime Minister and his team left the hospital safely and were escorted back to his office,” the statement said.

No deaths or injuries were reported from the incident.

Earlier this month, Conille and the Haitian police chief visited the same hospital after authorities announced they had regained control of the facilities from armed gangs. At the time, Conille described what remained of the devastated hospital as a “war zone.”

The statement from Conille’s office on Friday said the hospital remains under the control of the Haitian National Police and the UN-supported multinational security mission led by Kenyan police that’s to help cope The criminal gangs that are causing widespread violence. at Haiti.

The gangs have been looting, setting fires and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital, where they control up to 80% of the area.

Gunmen also took over police stations, attacked the main international airport, forcing its closure for nearly three months, and raided Haiti’s two largest prisons.