A massacre inside a church has left at least 40 people dead after a night of terror saw gang members attack displaced people sheltering in the religious building in Kenscoff, Haiti. The brutal attack occurred Sunday in the town, located in the hills above the capital.
Mayor Massillon Jean described execution-style killings and stated that searches were continuing for missing individuals, with an initial count of around 40 bodies. He reported that the assailants raided a displaced persons camp within the church, executing several individuals, leaving dozens wounded, and abducting some.
The United Nations estimates the death toll to be at least 47 victims, with 22 others injured in the overnight gang raid, adding that these figures could change. The office of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime issued a statement expressing deep compassion for the victims and announced that reinforcements would be sent to restore security in the area, vowing that "Kenscoff will not be abandoned."
Gangs, operating under a broad alliance, have for years expanded their influence beyond the capital into nearby regions, despite international efforts to bolster Haiti's police force. In Kenscoff, attacks over a two-month period in early 2025 resulted in over 260 deaths, the destruction or burning of 200 homes, and forced 3,000 people to flee, according to UN estimates. Since then, nearly a dozen more attacks have occurred, including rape, kidnapping, arson, and livestock theft.
Some residents criticized the government's response to the ongoing gang violence. Coriolan Kendy, standing by his cousin's body, stated, "My family are victims. People in Kenscoff are suffering and the government is to blame." Another resident, Orisme, pleaded for support, saying, "We live in humiliation and they do nothing for us."
Locals reported that dozens of police officers attempted to repel the armed assailants during the night, sustaining injuries. They did not identify gang members among the deceased.
Kenscoff, a mountainous municipality southeast of the capital, has been a frequent site of clashes and incursions by armed groups seeking territorial control for several months. Local media reported that several houses were set on fire, including the home of Jean William Pape, a public health expert.
National police chief Vladimir Paraison stated that police did not surrender during the confrontation. Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has long grappled with chronic political instability, natural disasters, corruption, and pervasive gang violence, including killings, rapes, looting, and kidnappings. Approximately 1.5 million Haitians are currently displaced, and over five million face severe food insecurity, according to UN figures. The crisis intensified in 2024 when gang-led violence prompted the resignation of the unelected prime minister. In November 2024, vigilante groups killed 150 Haitians. The country's security situation escalated further as gangs targeted commercial flights and attacked parts of the capital. Haiti has not held elections since 2016, and its last president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in 2021. A general election is currently scheduled for December of this year.