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Haiti Airport Closes as Gang Violence Increases in Capital – Telemundo New York (47)
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Haiti Airport Closes as Gang Violence Increases in Capital – Telemundo New York (47)

Haiti’s main airport temporarily closed Monday as gangs attempted to take control, the U.S. Embassy said, the same day a new interim prime minister was expected to take over as head of a country facing a wave of violence.

In parts of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, gunfights broke out between gangs and police, with heavily armed officers hiding behind walls as civilians ran in terror. In other upper-class neighborhoods, gangs burned homes.

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a travel warning saying the city’s airport was closed due to “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince, which may include armed violence and disruptions to roads, ports and airports.”

It comes after reports that gangs shot at a Spirit flight from Florida early Monday. The photos were shared with The Associated Press of bullet holes in the plane, although The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the incident with authorities.

The unrest comes a day after a council aimed at restoring democratic order in the Caribbean nation fired interim Prime Minister Garry Conille, who was at odds with the council, replacing him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The council has been marked by infighting and three members were recently accused of corruption.

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