Haiti senior defence official reportedly abducted

Gunmen in Haiti kidnap a senior government and police official in Port-au-Prince; It was the highest-profile kidnapping in recent years in a country plagued by gang violence.

James Boyard, the defense ministry’s cabinet director and inspector general of the Haitian national police, was captured Thursday in the Bourdon district, The Associated Press reported, citing a person familiar with the case.

Boyard is widely regarded as a leading security expert, and his kidnapping marks a significant increase in the targeting of senior officials in Haiti, where gangs have tightened their grip on the capital.

Kidnappings have increased in Haiti as criminal groups expand their influence, weakening government authority and worsening a deepening humanitarian and security crisis.

Authorities have not commented publicly on efforts to secure Boyard’s release.