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.
These are people
"in a vulnerable situation"
who were transferred
"on board a national navy vessel which will transport them today to Fort-de-France"
, specifies the Quai d'Orsay in a press release. .
Resumption of violence
Sunday evening, the ministry announced the establishment
of “special flights”
while the capital of Haiti is prey to gang violence and commercial air links with Port-au-Prince are interrupted.
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
,” the press release specifies.
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.
Canada has also chartered helicopters to evacuate its nationals living in Haiti wishing to leave the country.