New gang attack in Haiti’s Kenscoff kills at least 30 people

PORT-AU-PRINCE — At least 30 people were killed in a gang attack in Kenscoff on Sunday night, according to Mayor Massillon Jean, as members of the Viv Ansanm coalition attacked several areas of the mountainous community, less than 10 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince — the capital city.

The bloodbath began around 10:30 p.m. Sunday and continued into Monday, Jean said. Armed men moved through several areas, including the town center, Vilier Street near the municipal building, Viard 1, Madeleine, Fermathe 52 and Thomassin 48.

“Last night was a night of terror that struck the commune of Kenscoff,” Jean said Monday on Radio Magic 9.

Jean initially said municipal authorities had not established an official death toll or determined the full extent of the destruction. Residents fleeing the violence reported seeing dozens of bodies along the roads.

By Monday, however, Jean told Reuters that at least 30 people had been killed. The final toll could rise as authorities and residents gain access to areas affected by the attack.

Residents also reported homes burned, people abducted and others missing. The attackers targeted a church where displaced families had sought refuge, residents and local officials said.

National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) estimated 30 to 40 people had been killed ⁠and 15 to 20 wounded in the overnight raid, but warned it was still ​difficult to assess a complete tally. 

A prominent physician and leading public health ​expert in ⁠Haiti was among those whose property was targeted, according to local media reports.

The latest attack is part of a prolonged campaign of violence in Kenscoff. The commune has faced repeated incursions by Viv Ansanm since January 2025, with residents repeatedly forced from their homes as armed groups have sought to expand their influence in the area.

Kenscoff faces repeated attacks

Since last year, Kenscoff has been under renewed gang attacks. The latest violence follows attacks in July that killed residents, burned homes and forced thousands of people to flee. Jean said about 105 people were killed during those attacks, including five children aged 5 and 10. Local reports at the time also documented several kidnappings and burned homes.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that violence in Kenscoff from July 4-9 forced about 5,840 people, or 1,836 households, from their homes. Most sought shelter with host families, while others moved into displacement sites.

Like this newest massacre, the July attacks affected several areas, including Téléco, Le Refuge, Viard, Robin, Mahotière, Dumisseau, Do Blanc, Bernard 1 and 2, Do Pak, Kabamòn and Dè Savann.

“This situation in Kenscoff is truly critical and difficult,” Jean said. “We need a decision to be made to allow serious operations to dismantle these gangs and restore peace in the commune.”

Haiti’s prime minister’s office on Monday afternoon decried the “heinous attack”, noting all security forces were on high alert and reinforcements were ​being deployed.

“Kenscoff will not be abandoned,” it said in a statement. “The ​government’s authority will be restored, without weakness and without delay, throughout all of ‌Kenscoff.”

Security forces under pressure as gang violence threatens Haiti’s political transition

The attack also highlights the difficulty Haitian authorities face in containing armed groups despite increased security operations and the deployment of the U.N.-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF).

The Haitian National Police (PNH) and Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H) have conducted operations in several areas, while the GSF has begun patrols and expanded its presence. A United Nations’ July report said specialized police units had succeeded in pushing gang members back from some strategic locations in Delmas and Port-au-Prince and partially restoring state presence. But the gains remained fragile, with gangs continuing to control significant portions of the capital and surrounding areas.

The GSF began operational activities in June and conducted its first targeted operation in Tabarre on June 21, according to the U.N. The force had more than 1,000 military personnel deployed by early July, well below its authorized strength of 5,500.

Kenscoff has remained a particular challenge for security forces. Earlier this month, gangs attacked police in Viard 2, burning an armored vehicle and wounding three officers, according to local media reports. Haitian armed forces and community brigades were subsequently deployed to support the police.

The repeated attacks demonstrate the limits of the security gains achieved elsewhere. A U.N. report in May said security operations had helped limit gang expansion in parts of central Port-au-Prince, but violence continued to spread beyond the capital, particularly into the Artibonite and Centre departments.

The Kenscoff attack comes as Haiti prepares for presidential and legislative elections scheduled for Dec. 13, the first general elections in the country in a decade.

The electoral process has already begun, including voter registration and identification efforts. But security remains a major obstacle. The Organization of American States (OAS) recently warned that Haiti’s security forces need additional personnel, equipment and funding to create conditions for elections.

The U.N. reported that more than 16,000 people were killed and about 1.5 million displaced across Haiti as of  January 2026. Gangs continue to control large portions of Port-au-Prince and have expanded their activities beyond the capital.

The crisis has also complicated efforts to restore basic government services and prepare for the return of displaced Haitians and the upcoming national elections — first in a decade. 

Human rights groups call for action

The Haitian Human Rights Vision (VHDH) condemned the latest violence and called for greater coordination among political and social actors to protect civilians.

“VHDH believes that socio-political actors who genuinely aspire to a better Haiti must unite in order to put the government in a position to restore security and protect the remaining civilian population,” the organization said in a statement Monday.

The group said the attack occurred as the government seeks to demonstrate to the international community that Haitian security forces are capable of restoring order and creating conditions for elections.

For residents of Kenscoff, however, the latest attack is another reminder that security remains far from restored.

The immediate challenge is to account for those killed or missing, assist families forced from their homes and restore security in areas that have endured repeated attacks for more than a year, some observers said.

As authorities continue efforts to expand police operations and the GSF builds its capacity, the latest violence underscores how vulnerable communities remain when armed groups can repeatedly return to territory they have previously attacked.

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