Two Catholic nuns from the Little Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a Haitian religious congregation, were among several people killed earlier this week in an armed gang attack in the central Haitian city of Mirebalais.
Sisters Evanette Onesaire, 74, and Jeanne Siliane Voltaire, 71, were teachers at a state-run school in the area. According to an April 3 report from Agenzia Fides, the information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the two women had taken shelter at their residence near the school following a wave of gang attacks on stores and police stations in the city on March 31.
Citing local media, the agency reported that gang members entered the nuns’ residence and opened fire, killing the two sisters along with other individuals inside the building. The exact number of those killed has not yet been confirmed.
Archbishop Max Leroy Mésidor of Port-au-Prince confirmed the deaths earlier in the week, telling local media the killings represent “a huge loss for the community.” The Vatican has been notified of the incident.
Mirebalais, a city of approximately 2,000 residents located about 30 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince, has seen worsening conditions in recent days. Reports indicate that the streets are littered with bodies, and that the Mirebalais University Hospital came under attack on April 3.
Adding to the crisis, over 500 inmates escaped from a local prison following a gang-led assault on March 31. Some of the escapees were seen wandering the city, according to reports from the BBC.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the violent gang attack on Mirebalais and called for intensified efforts by Haitian authorities, with support from the international community, to restore security and protect civilians.
This latest wave of violence in Mirebalais is part of a broader breakdown in security across Haiti, where an estimated 12,000 heavily armed gang members have taken control of large swathes of the country, including the capital.
In response to the unrest, Fritz Alphonse Jean, leader of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, announced on April 3 that new measures would be taken to combat the escalating gang violence. His statement came just one day after thousands of Port-au-Prince residents staged mass protests demanding an end to the violence and the resignation of the transitional government and police leadership. Gunfire was reported during the demonstrations, which were the largest since the council was established a year ago.
The killing of the two nuns has added to growing concerns about the safety of civilians and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
