Gangs in Haiti adapt tactics in face of police operations, UN experts say
UN experts report that gangs in Haiti are changing their tactics in response to security pressure, but their progress is "fragile". Since 1 March 2025, 5,519 deaths have been recorded.
Gangs in Haiti change tactics in face of security operations, according to UN report
Law enforcement operations in Haiti have succeeded in slowing gang expansion in the capital, but progress remains "fragile" in the face of violent groups that have already adapted their tactics — according to a report by UN experts published on Tuesday, letemps.ch reports.
The country, which is among the poorest in the Caribbean, is suffering from gang violence that carries out bloody attacks, kidnappings and carjackings. The situation has continued to deteriorate over the past two years.
Progress that remains fragile
"The strengthening of security measures put in place by Haitian authorities, together with attacks by private international drones that have been carried out for almost a year and the activity of self-defence groups, have slowed gang advances in the capital" — which they control 90 per cent of — according to a report by UN Security Council experts in charge of overseeing sanctions against Haiti.
"Security results remain fragile and can disappear if pressure is not maintained," the report continues. According to it, gangs, whose main leaders remain at large, "are becoming more cautious and are changing some of their tactics." Several of them have retreated "into isolated and outlying areas, where they can carry out criminal activity with a certain degree of impunity."
New revenue sources
Gangs have "adapted their methods of revenue collection" as well. Checkpoints they had over main circulation routes became targets for police, so they reinforced their "grip" on places where Haitians seek money sent by the diaspora.
Civilians caught in the crossfire
Operations against gangs, which have limited effectiveness, have produced "many victims," experts say, describing civilians "caught in the trap" in clashes in densely populated areas, which have brought "unrelenting gunfire" and "drone attacks."
According to the latest report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published at the end of March, gang violence killed 5,519 people between 1 March 2025 and 15 January 2026. Currently, the majority of these deaths result from anti-gang operations themselves: 3,497 deaths, including many gang members, but also civilians.
Gangs exploit civilian losses
Gangs "profit" from these "collateral damages" to reinforce their control over the population, by paying for funerals or medical expenses, UN experts indicate. This does not prevent them from continuing direct violence and the use of the population as "human shields."
Source: Google News HT — Port-au-Prince