Senior Haitian government official abducted by armed assailants: report

James Boyard, a senior Haitian government official who oversees key security functions, has been abducted by armed assailants, according to a source cited in an Associated Press report. Boyard serves as chief of staff for Haiti’s Defense Ministry and also holds the position of inspector general within the country’s national police force. His apparent kidnapping marks one of the most significant abductions involving a government official in Haiti in recent years.
Gang violence continues to plague the nation, according to reports.
A person with direct knowledge of the case confirmed the incident on Saturday. 
Reports from local news outlets indicate that Boyard was taken Thursday in Bourdon, which is a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince that has largely been viewed as one of the capital’s more secure areas despite the country’s worsening security crisis. 
Haiti’s capital remains heavily affected by gang activity. The Viv Ansanm alliance is estimated to control about 70% of Port-au-Prince.
The United States designated the alliance as a foreign terrorist organization in May of last year.

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