Police in Haiti struggle against gangs storming prison in latest surge of violence

By EVENS SANON
Associated Press

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Police in Haiti are urgently appealing for help as they struggle to hold back gangs trying to storm the country’s main prison in a major escalation of violence sweeping the troubled Caribbean nation. A  police officer told The Associated Press late Saturday that the gangs had overwhelmed security forces but were not yet in control of the prison, where several gang leaders are being held. The armed clashes follow a string of violent protests that have been building for some time but turned deadlier in recent days as Prime Minister Ariel Henry went to Kenya to salvage plans for a security mission in Haiti to be led by that East African nation and backed by the United Nations.