Armed men killed at least 47 people and kidnapped more than 50 others in a violent gang attack on a community near Haiti’s capital earlier this week, the United Nations said Tuesday. The assault on Kenscoff, a community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince, is believed to be the largest mass kidnapping in Haiti in recent years.
A gang leader has threatened to kill the hostages if authorities kill any gang members involved in the attack, presenting a complex challenge for security forces. The leader, identified as Izo 2, who reportedly operates a franchise cell for other gang leaders including the powerful Johnson André, warned that Police Director Vladimir Paraison should refrain from using drones to repel gangs in the area. "Paraison, if any of our soldiers are hurt, I will kill all of them," he stated in a social media video, referring to the hostages.
The attack, which occurred Sunday, pierced the notion that security in the troubled Caribbean country was improving and is seen as a significant political and security test for the government, police, and an international mission. Experts suggest the attack's aim might be to stretch the limited resources of Haiti’s police and a U.N.-backed gang suppression force, forcing them to deploy more personnel at the expense of other areas.
It could also serve as a message to the government and police as Haiti prepares for general elections on December 13, the first in over a decade. "This is a message to the government and the police that their claims of protection do not match reality," said Romain Le Cour, head of Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. "The gangs are saying: when we choose to attack, we can, and we will succeed."
Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon told The Associated Press that two government employees were among the 47 killed, including his cousin, who was part of his security detail. Members of Viv Ansanm, a gang coalition designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, are also accused of setting fire to 25 homes during the attack. Sporadic attacks had occurred in the mountains surrounding Kenscoff since January 2025, but Sunday's assault was the largest reported.
Information about the attack is still emerging, with Massillon noting that gangs were still present on the outskirts of Kenscoff. He expressed optimism that the state would continue efforts to eradicate gangs in the area. Some survivors have accused the government of insufficient protection prior to the attack, a claim that Haiti’s National Police have rejected. Le Cour questioned the preparedness, asking if the presence of police and armored vehicles in Kenscoff prior to the incident would have changed the outcome.
Armed groups control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and significant areas in Haiti’s central region and beyond. Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across the country. According to U.N. statistics, over 3,100 people were killed and 1,189 injured from January to June.