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UN chief condemns Haiti gang attack that killed over 30
🇯🇲 Jamaica /Conflict & Security

UN chief condemns Haiti gang attack that killed over 30

From Jamaica Observer · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned a gang attack in Kenscoff, Haiti, that killed over 30 people, including 22 executed in a church.
  • The violence, blamed on the Viv Ansanm coalition, highlights the dire security situation and the urgent need for intensified Haitian and international security efforts.
  • The UN reported over 1,400 deaths from gang violence in Haiti during the second quarter of 2026, urging accountability for perpetrators and adherence to human rights law.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned a brutal gang attack in Kenscoff, Haiti, which left more than 30 people dead. The violence, which occurred Sunday night overlooking the capital Port-au-Prince, is blamed on a coalition of criminal gangs known as Viv Ansanm.

Reports indicate that at least 47 people were killed in the assault, with 22 individuals reportedly executed within a church compound where they had sought refuge. The UN stated that these relentless attacks and the significant loss of life underscore the alarming security conditions in Haiti. This situation reinforces the urgent need for both Haitian authorities and the international community to intensify security efforts against these ruthless gangs.

The secretary-general reiterates his call for Haitian authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held to account, including through the specialised judicial units, recently created with international support to investigate mass crimes.

— Stéphane DujarricUN spokesman relaying Secretary General Guterres's call for accountability following the Kenscoff attack.

"The secretary-general reiterates his call for Haitian authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held to account, including through the specialised judicial units, recently created with international support to investigate mass crimes," said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. Videos circulating on social media depict gang members storming the town, killing residents, and torching vehicles and homes, with graphic images of bodies lying in pools of blood.

The UN's Integrated Office in Haiti reported a grim statistic for the second quarter of 2026 (April to June): at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 injured due to violence across the country. Gang attacks were responsible for more than half of these recorded killings and injuries. The UN emphasized the importance of keeping Haiti on the international agenda, accelerating the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force, and ensuring all use of force complies with international human rights law.

it was a night of terror

— Jean MassillonKenscoff's Mayor describing the gang attack.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jamaica Observer in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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