Medecins Sans Frontieres shuts Haiti hospital amid gang violence

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF - Doctors Without Borders) is seen at the international medical humanitarian organisation MSF logistique centre in Merignac near Bordeaux, France, December 6, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has temporarily closed its hospital in Cite Soleil, in Haiti's capital, after gang violence threatened the safety of patients and staff, a spokesperson for the group told Reuters Wednesday.

This comes amid escalating violence from heavily armed gangs who last week expanded their territory to cover new areas both in the capital Port-au-Prince and nearby towns, forcing several schools to shut their gates as kidnappings also increase.