Armed men kidnap respected security expert in gang-wracked Haiti

Article excerpt

Armed men kidnapped James Boyard, Haiti's cabinet director of the Defense Ministry and inspector general of the national police, in a gang-wracked Port-au-Prince. Boyard's abduction marks an escalation of violence targeting government security officials in a nation where gangs control significant territory and kidnappings have become routine. The respected security expert had been working to combat gang activity and reform the police force amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. His disappearance underscores the fragility of Haiti's government institutions and the reach of criminal organizations that operate with relative impunity.