At least 70 killed, thousands displaced in Haiti gang massacre

At least 70 people were killed and more than 30 were injured in a brutal gang attack in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to a human rights organization, significantly higher than earlier official estimates.

Initial reports from police indicated that 16 people had been killed and 10 injured, while civil protection authorities later revised the figures to 17 dead and 19 wounded. However, the Collective Defending Human Rights group said the violence was far more severe, describing the incident as a “massacre” and estimating that nearly 6,000 residents were forced to flee their homes.

The attack took place around 3 a.m. Sunday in the Jean-Denis area, where armed members of the Gran Grif gang launched an assault, according to local civil protection officials.

The Artibonite department, one of Haiti’s most important agricultural regions, has experienced some of the country’s worst violence as gang activity continues to spread beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Human rights organizations sharply criticized authorities, saying the lack of a rapid security response demonstrated a failure to protect residents.

“The lack of a security response and the abandonment of Artibonite to armed groups demonstrate a complete abdication of responsibility by the authorities,” Defenseurs Plus said in a joint statement with the Collective to Save the Artibonite.

Authorities reported that about 50 homes were burned during the attack. Haiti’s National Police said they deployed three armored vehicles to the area, but their progress was slowed after gang members dug holes in the roads. By the time police arrived, several houses had already been burned and the attackers were fleeing.

The injured were transported to local hospitals while the dead were taken to two morgues. Police said they have launched an ongoing operation to track down the gang members responsible.

An audio message circulating on social media, attributed to Gran Grif leader Luckson Elan, suggested the attack may have been carried out in retaliation for assaults on the gang’s base in Savien by a rival armed group.

The violence follows recent United Nations reports indicating that more than 2,000 people were already displaced by similar gang raids in nearby Verrettes, which also forced residents of Petite-Rivière to flee.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and noted that reported death toll estimates ranged widely, from 10 to 80 victims.

“This attack underscores the gravity of the security situation faced by the Haitian population,” the spokesperson said, calling for a full investigation.

Gang violence in Haiti has intensified dramatically in recent years. According to a recent UN report, close to 20,000 people have been killed since 2021, while more than one million have been displaced and food insecurity has worsened across the country.

Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm — a coalition grouping hundreds of gangs in the capital — have been designated terrorist organizations by the United States. The groups have been accused of mass killings, gang rapes, arson, theft, and trafficking of weapons, drugs, and other illicit goods.

Earlier this month, the United States announced a reward of up to $3 million for information on the financial operations of the Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm groups.

Haitian security forces, backed by a UN-supported international mission and a US private military contractor, have increased operations against gangs that control much of Port-au-Prince. However, authorities have yet to capture any major gang leaders, as violence continues to spread into previously less-affected regions like Artibonite.