Haiti has been gripped by an alarming surge in violence, with the United Nations and aid groups warning of a wave of extreme brutality that has left numerous people dead and thousands displaced. In a statement released on Monday, a coalition of UN agencies, NGOs, and donors described harrowing attacks, including entire families being massacred in their homes and children shot as they attempted to flee.
Gangs now control vast parts of Haiti, including most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, despite the deployment of hundreds of police officers under a Kenya-led multinational security support mission (MSS). The humanitarian group condemned the escalating violence, revealing that since late January, more than 4,000 people have been forced to flee the Kenscoff area, while another 2,000 have fled Delmas, Port-au-Prince, and Pétion-Ville. They urged all parties to put an end to the “cycle of terror” that has plunged the country deeper into chaos.
Residents of two neighbourhoods in the capital reported fresh attacks late on Monday. One witness recounted the horror of their house being set ablaze with a family member trapped inside, describing it as cruel. Another resident said gangs launched a surprise assault while vigilante security groups were resting, catching them off guard.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has been in a state of crisis for years, but the situation deteriorated sharply in early 2023 when armed gangs carried out coordinated assaults in an effort to force then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry from power. Although Henry eventually stepped down and an interim government took over, the security forces—supported by the MSS—have struggled to regain control.
The UN-backed MSS currently consists of around 1,000 personnel from six nations, primarily Kenya, though this is far fewer than the 2,500 initially planned. The mission suffered a major setback on Sunday when a Kenyan officer was shot and killed. UN officials have called for additional reinforcements and funding, warning that an estimated one million Haitians have already been displaced due to the ongoing violence.
Last week, the UN issued an urgent appeal for over $900 million in aid for Haiti this year, a significant increase from 2024, when funding fell far short of targets. The UN reported 5,600 deaths linked to gang violence in 2024—a 20% rise from the previous year—as well as 1,500 kidnappings and nearly 6,000 cases of gender-based violence, with sexual assault accounting for 69% of those cases.
Speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé acknowledged the severity of the crisis, declaring that the government was at war with the gangs. Marking his first 100 days in office, he vowed to strengthen security forces, promising relentless efforts to dismantle the criminal groups that have plunged Haiti into chaos.
