At least 30 killed in Haiti gang attack
At least 30 people were killed in a nighttime attack by armed gangs on a neighborhood in the hills above the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, Mayor Jean Massillon said, sparking anger over a lack of protection against deadly attacks.
The settlement of Kenskof, located on the slopes above the traffic routes to the capital, has experienced about a dozen attacks by armed gangs since last year, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
Powerful gangs, gathered in a broad alliance, have been consolidating their influence over Haiti’s capital for years and expanding into surrounding regions, despite attempts by foreign countries to strengthen the Haitian police, which are numerically and weaponly underequipped.
The Haitian Human Rights Organization (RNDDH) estimated that between 30 and 40 people were killed and between 15 and 20 wounded in the attack, which began around 10:30 p.m. local time. The organization warned that it is difficult to determine the final number of victims, Hina reports.
Although the Haitian government condemned the heinous attack and promised to step up security, residents have called for the resignation of the local police chief, claiming that police officers failed to protect the people who were killed just minutes away from the police station.
The National Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kenskof will not be abandoned, the prime minister’s office announced on social media. “State authority will be re-established, without weakness and without delay.”
According to a United Nations estimate, attacks in Keneskofo over more than two months in early 2025 claimed more than 260 lives and destroyed or burned 200 houses, forcing about 3.000 people to flee their homes.
Since then, there have been a dozen more attacks, including rapes, kidnappings, arson and cattle theft.
Kenskof overlooks the traffic routes towards Petion-Ville – where there are numerous embassies, luxury hotels and the temporary seat of government – as well as the main road leading from the capital to the south of Haiti.
The violence could further heighten concerns about the country’s ability to hold elections in December, its first in a decade. Successive governments have repeatedly postponed the vote as armed gangs have expanded their influence.
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