UN chief condemns gang massacre in Kenscoff, Haiti — at least 47 dead

A gang coalition killed at least 47 people in Kenscoff, Haiti, including 22 executed in a church. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the attack.

Viv Ansanm coalition kills dozens in hillside community above Port-au-Prince

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned a gang assault on the hillside community of Kenscoff, overlooking Port-au-Prince, that left at least 47 people dead, the Jamaica Observer reports. The attack took place on Sunday night and was carried out by the Viv Ansanm criminal coalition.

Among the dead were 22 people reportedly executed inside a church compound where residents had sought refuge from the violence. Gang members stormed the town centre, killing residents, torching vehicles and setting homes ablaze. Videos circulating on social media showed bludgeoned bodies lying in pools of blood.

Kenscoff's mayor, Jean Massillon, told reporters on Monday that "it was a night of terror."

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, speaking at the daily news briefing, said Guterres "reiterates his call for Haitian authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held to account, including through the specialised judicial units, recently created with international support to investigate mass crimes."

Dujarric added that UN humanitarian colleagues on the ground in Haiti are working with local communities and authorities to verify the information and assess needs in the aftermath of what he described as "horrendous violence."

The attack comes against a backdrop of mounting bloodshed across Haiti. The UN Integrated Office in Haiti reported that between April and June 2026, at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 others injured due to violence across the country. Gang attacks accounted for more than half of all killings and injuries recorded during that period.

Dujarric said the UN report "emphasises the importance of keeping Haiti on the international agenda and accelerating the full deployment of the Gang Suppression Force," and called for progress on investigations into mass crimes. He also reiterated that all use of force by law enforcement or actors operating on behalf of the state must comply with international human rights law.

The UN described the relentless attacks on communities as evidence of "alarming security conditions" in Haiti and said they reinforce the urgent need to intensify both Haitian and international security efforts against the gangs.

Source: Jamaica Observer