**Haitian Gang Releases U.S. Missionaries After Two-Month Captivity**.
**Port-au-Prince, Haiti** – A Haitian gang has released 17 American and Canadian missionaries who were kidnapped on October 16th. The missionaries, who were part of a group from the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, were abducted while returning from an orphanage visit in the Croix-des-Bouquets area of Port-au-Prince..
The hostages were held captive for two months by the 400 Mawozo gang, which demanded a $17 million ransom for their release. The gang is known for its violent tactics and has been linked to numerous kidnappings and killings in Haiti..
**Negotiations and Release**.
The United States government and the Haitian authorities worked together to secure the missionaries’ release. According to U.S. officials, a $1 million ransom was paid to the gang, but the Haitian government denies making any payments..
The missionaries were released on December 16th and were transported to the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. They were then flown to Miami for medical evaluation and debriefing..
**Statement from White House**.
In a statement, the White House said, .
