At Least 42 Killed in Gang Attack on Haiti’s Kenscoff

At least 42 people were killed in an armed gang attack on Kenscoff, east of Port-au-Prince, prompting Haiti’s government to place all security forces on maximum alert. The attack comes amid a wider crisis of violence, displacement and food insecurity.

Residents flee Kenscoff after an armed gang attack that killed at least 42 people. Photo: EFE

August 25, 2026 Hour: 1:38 am

At least 42 people were killed in an armed gang attack that prompted Haiti’s government to place all security forces on maximum alert.

At least 42 people were killed in an armed gang attack on Kenscoff, east of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, prompting the Haitian government to place all security forces on maximum alert, local media and agencies reported Monday.

RELATED: Over 150 Haitians Deported to Cap-Haïtien After U.S. Cancels Protected Status

The attack unfolded from Sunday night into early Monday, as armed groups stormed several neighborhoods, set homes and vehicles ablaze and entered a church where displaced people had sought refuge.

International media reported finding at least 20 bodies scattered across the area. Local reports also said people were wounded, kidnapped or missing and that dozens of homes had been burned.

The Haitian National Police, backed by local self-defense groups, repelled the assault and regained control of several sectors, according to Le Nouvelliste. The newspaper reported more than 30 deaths in the operation.

The attack was part of an effort by the Viv Ansanm armed gang coalition to expand its control over Kenscoff, a strategic area near Haiti’s Southeast department and the city of Jacmel. After such incursions, armed factions typically withdraw toward neighboring areas such as Carrefour, where state control is limited.

Residents took to the streets to protest the lack of security, while families fled their homes amid the violence. Among the targets were the residences of several prominent figures, including Dr. William Pape, founder of the Gheskio health centers.

Calls for government action

The National Democratic Council of Haiti (CND) called on Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime to address the public and explain the security measures being taken. The organization said it would also refer the case to the International Criminal Court, arguing that repeated large-scale attacks constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The government later expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and said authorities had been deployed to restore order.

The attack adds to a wider wave of violence in Haiti. United Nations figures cited in the press release show that at least 2,310 people were killed and 1,106 injured by violence during the first five months of the year. At least 99 kidnappings were recorded, while 699 people were victims of sexual violence. Hundreds of children also remain in the hands of human-trafficking networks.

Haiti is also facing severe food insecurity, with about 5.8 million people, 52% of the population affected. The number of internally displaced people reached a record 1.4 million last year.

The violence in Kenscoff has added to the deaths, displacement and insecurity confronting communities across Haiti, as families continue to flee areas targeted by armed groups.

Author: MK

Source: Agencies

IN THIS ARTICLE