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(CNN)Two missionaries kidnapped successful Haiti over a period agone person been released, according to a connection by the US-based Christian Aid Ministries.
"We person learned that 2 of the hostages successful Haiti were released. We praise God for this! Only constricted accusation tin beryllium provided, but we are capable to study that the 2 hostages who were released are safe, successful bully spirits, and being cared for," the enactment said Sunday.
"While we rejoice astatine this release, our hearts are with the 15 radical who are inactive being held," the connection besides said.
The radical of 16 Americans and 1 Canadian were kidnapped by the Haitian pack 400 Mawozo portion traveling by car northeast of superior metropolis Port-au-Prince connected October 16. They see an infant, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, arsenic good arsenic 2 young teenagers. All hail from Amish, Mennonite and different blimpish Anabaptist communities crossed six US states and Ontario.
Authorities successful the US and Haiti person not publically commented connected whether immoderate of the hostages were released. Haitian police, the US Embassy successful Haiti, the Justice Minister, the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister's Office, and the US State Department did not respond instantly to requests for comment.
US and Haitian authorities, arsenic good arsenic the assistance organization, person mostly kept quiescent astir negotiations to merchandise the hostages. Their captors had demanded $1 cardinal per hostage, Haitian Justice and Interior Minister Liszt Quitel antecedently told CNN.
Kidnappings for ransom successful Haiti are wide and often indiscriminate, targeting affluent and poor, young and old. Rising transgression has accompanied the country's governmental instability, with kidnappings spiking successful the months aft the July assassination of President Jovenel Moise, according to section quality rights enactment CARDH. The 400 Mawozo radical is peculiarly notorious for radical kidnappings.
"Has a period ever been this long? We deliberation backmost to the archetypal fewer days erstwhile our hopes were pinned connected a speedy effect and a timely release, and our hearts cry, 'Lord, however overmuch longer indispensable this continue?'" wrote the unnamed parent of 1 of the hostages successful an earlier connection by Christian Aid Ministries, released November 19.
CNN's Samantha Beech, Joe Sutton, Etant Dupain and Matt Rivers contributed to this report.
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