All from US missionary group freed in Haiti – police

PORT-AU-PRINCE (AP):

The remaining members of a US missionary group who were kidnapped two months ago in Haiti have been freed, Haitian police and the church group said Thursday.

The spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, Gary Desrosiers, confirmed to The Associated Press that the hostages had been released, but did not immediately provide additional details.

“We glorify God for answered prayer – the remaining 12 hostages are FREE!” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “All 17 of our loved ones are now safe.”

The Ohio-based group said it hopes to provide more information later.

Late Thursday afternoon, a convoy of at least a dozen vehicles, including US Embassy SUVs and Haitian National Police, brought the missionaries to the Port-au-Prince airport from the missionary group’s offices in Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince.

Earlier, people at the Christian Aid Ministries campus could be seen hugging each other and smiling.

In Washington, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre praised the law enforcement work and Haitian officials who helped get the hostages freed. “We welcomed reports that they are free and getting the care that they need after their ordeal,” she said.

The missionaries were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on October 16. There were five children in the group of 16 US citizens and one Canadian, including an 8-month-old. Their Haitian driver also was abducted, according to a local human rights organisation.