Armed men kidnapped James Boyard, cabinet director of Haiti's Defence Ministry and inspector general of Haiti's national police, in Port-au-Prince — making him the highest-ranking official abducted in the country in recent years, according to the Associated Press.
Boyard was seized in Bourdon, an area of the capital that local media reported had been considered relatively safe until the attack. It was not immediately clear who carried out the abduction or whether a ransom had been demanded.
The abduction has raised concern that senior officials and security figures may be increasingly exposed as gangs expand their reach in the capital, where violence has intensified amid Haiti's ongoing political and security crisis. AP reported that gangs have increasingly targeted officials and dual nationals, partly because they may be seen as more valuable for ransom demands.
Haiti's security situation has deteriorated significantly in recent years. UN human rights offices and OCHA have documented widespread violence and displacement linked to gang activity, though specific casualty and kidnapping figures for 2026 remain under verification.
Minister of Defence Mario Andrésol has called for intensified operations to secure Boyard's release, though Haiti's government continues to face constraints in deploying sufficient security resources across the country.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, UN Human Rights Office, OCHA.
