Officials: American missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

A criminal gang in Haiti has kidnapped a group of Americans consisting of Christian missionaries and their families.

The group of between 15 and 17 people, three of which are children, were abducted in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince.

Media reports said they were traveling to Titanyen after visiting an orphanage in the Croix des Bouquets area.

A local official told media the abductees were being held by the "400 Mawozo" gang.

The source added that the gang has for months been engaged in theft and kidnappings in the area between Port-au-Prince and the border with the Dominican Republic

There has been a surge in gang violence following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July followed by an earthquake in August which killed over 2,000 people.

Moise was shot at his private home on the outskirts of the capital Port-au-Prince by a group of trained foreign assassins linked to the CIA.

Haitian police blamed a 28-member outfit consisting of Americans and Colombians for the killing of Moise.

SS