JAKARTA - Two of the 17 American and Canadian Christian missionaries held hostage in Hati since last month have been released, the group that arranged their trip to the Caribbean nation said.
There were no further details on this, with Haitian security authorities confirming the news of the release.
"We have learned that two hostages in Haiti were released," Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement.
As previously reported, 16 Americans and one Canadian, including five children, were kidnapped in October after visiting an orphanage. The incident has highlighted Haiti's dire kidnapping problem, which has worsened amid an economic and political crisis and rising violence.
Contacted by Reuters, a spokesman for the Haitian National Police, Gary Desrosiers, confirmed that the two missionary hostages had been released Sunday.
Officials previously said a gang known as the 400 Mawozo was demanding a ransom of $1 million per person. A man who identified himself as a gang leader said in a video posted on YouTube last month that he had no qualms about killing hostages if he didn't get what he wanted.
"If I don't find what I need, these Americans, I'd rather kill them all, and I'm going to put a big gun at each of them's heads," said the man in the video last October.
Meanwhile, the White House said Thursday it will do all it can to help missionaries kidnapped in Haiti.
"We will do everything we can to help resolve this situation," White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last month.
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