Haiti: Gangs kill around 40 in church attack on displaced people

Gang members attacked displaced people sheltering inside a church near Haiti's capital, killing around 40 individuals in an attack described as execution-style, the mayor of Kenscoff told AFP.

"We have counted around 40 bodies. Searches are continuing. Some people are still missing" after the Sunday night assault in Kenscoff, a town in the hills above the capital, Mayor Massillon Jean said. He described "a night of terror" in a town that has been plagued by gang violence for months. Jean added that the assailants targeted a site housing people who had already fled violence, stating, "The bandits raided a displaced persons camp located in a church. They executed several people. There are fatalities and dozens of wounded. Some people were abducted by the criminals."

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We have counted around 40 bodies. Searches are continuing. Some people are still missing

In a statement following the attack, the office of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime expressed "deep compassion" for the bereaved families and all victims. The government also announced that reinforcements would be dispatched to restore security in the Kenscoff area. This municipality, located southeast of the Haitian capital, has experienced clashes and incursions by armed groups seeking to expand their control for several months.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has long suffered from chronic political instability, natural disasters, corruption, and rampant violence from powerful gangs. These gangs control much of the capital city. Currently, nearly 1.5 million Haitians are displaced within the country of about 11 million, and over five million face severe food insecurity, according to UN figures. The crisis intensified in early 2024 when gangs initiated a wave of violence that led to the resignation of the unelected prime minister. Haiti has not held elections since 2016, and its last president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in July 2021.

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The bandits raided a displaced persons camp located in a church. They executed several people. There are fatalities and dozens of wounded. Some people were abducted by the criminals.