Haiti Human Rights Report Details Massacre, Blames Police Failures

A new report from the National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti provides a detailed account of one of the country's most severe massacres in recent years, attributing the violence to security failures and insufficient police action. The report, based on interviews with judicial officials, law enforcement, civilians, and victims' families, highlights significant security vulnerabilities as authorities grapple with gang-related violence.

The report focuses on gang attacks on Kenscoff, a farming community near the capital, Port-au-Prince, which resulted in at least 164 deaths, over 70 kidnappings, and dozens of missing individuals. The human rights group asserts that a stronger, more timely security presence could have prevented or mitigated the killings, noting that "available information indicated the existence of a serious and imminent threat to the population."

According to the report, Kenscoff had already experienced a deadly attack in January 2025, leaving at least 139 people dead or missing. Despite this, the group states that "serious institutional failures" contributed to the subsequent massacre, and security was never fully restored. Special police units and soldiers deployed after the January incident were withdrawn for unexplained reasons, leading to a 60% reduction in security personnel in the area.

Gangs reportedly launched renewed attacks in July, which escalated into a larger assault in late August. The report indicates that an armored vehicle was moved a week prior to the August massacre due to personnel shortages, creating an opening for armed groups. Requests for additional armored vehicles by the local police chief were reportedly ignored.

In the days leading up to the massacre, gang members allegedly used surveillance drones to monitor law enforcement movements and positions, employing scouts to infiltrate the area and identify potential threats. Government officials, while denying prior knowledge of the attack plans, confirmed observing drones and noted that tree trunks were used to block roads hours before the violence began.

The report details horrific accounts of the killings, with victims including elderly individuals, women, children as young as four, farmers, pastors, and a school principal who was beheaded. One victim, who worked at the Kenscoff police station, reportedly had his eyes gouged out and arms torn off.

Gang members are said to have attacked people sheltering in a school and a church, using bodies as barricades during hours-long confrontations with police and civilians. The report also alleges that armed groups staged smaller attacks prior to entering Kenscoff to draw police away and weaken defenses.

The human rights group has called on the government to provide financial, medical, and psychological assistance to survivors and their families. The report criticizes what it describes as police passivity and the "disdainful disinterest" of high-ranking officers, while also questioning the limited visible impact of a new U.N.-backed gang suppression force.

Despite a reported 66% reduction in violence in Kenscoff between January and August due to security operations, the report underscores the continued vulnerability of the community. The mayor of Kenscoff issued a statement warning of ongoing drone activity and online threats, emphasizing that these signals should not be disregarded.