Over 10,000 displaced in Haiti after violence escalates north of capital

Former police officer Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier (not pictured), leader of the 'G9' coalition, is accompanied by Security during a march against Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File Photo

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - More than 10,000 people have fled their homes in parts of Haiti's central department, the United Nations' migration agency said on Wednesday, after a series of gang attacks in recent days including in a hospital north of the capital.

Under-resourced police have struggled with heavily armed gangs who gained territory and massively expanded their influence over the past year, forming powerful alliances notably in the capital Port-au-Prince.