Overview

• Six Catholic nuns and two laypeople kidnapped in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, have been released after nearly a week in captivity.
• The release comes days after a plea by Pope Francis and a day of prayer and meditation organized by the Catholic Church in Haiti.
• The kidnappers, who remain unidentified, had demanded a ransom of over $3 million, but it is unclear whether any ransom was paid.
• The kidnapping has prompted criticism of the Haitian government for its lack of response to increasing gang-related violence.
• The United Nations estimates that violence in Haiti has led to more than 4,700 killings and nearly 2,500 kidnappings in the past year.