The United Nations (UN) has expressed alarm as over 3,600 people have been killed this year due to rampant gang violence in Haiti.
The Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation is experiencing near-total anarchy, with gangs dominating the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to the collapse of security and healthcare systems.
According to a report from the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), approximately 600,000 individuals were displaced in the first half of 2024, and 1,280 were injured in gang-related violence, including 295 women and 63 children.
During this same period, at least 893 people, including 25 children, were kidnapped for ransom by criminal organizations vying for control in a context of political instability and weakened state authority.
“Latest figures from the UN Human Rights Office indicate that at least 3,661 people have been killed since January, reflecting the high levels of violence seen in 2023,” the report stated.
“No more lives should be lost to this senseless criminality,” said Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The OHCHR urged both Haitian authorities and the international community to take stronger actions to protect civilians.
The report noted a shift in gang tactics this year, with some victims struck by random gunfire, while others were executed in broad daylight for allegedly informing authorities or opposing gang activities.
Disturbingly, some victims suffered mutilation with machetes before being burned, and gangs circulated videos of these acts on social media to instill fear and exert control.
Additionally, gangs have employed sexual violence as a means to punish and intimidate the population. The report indicated that at least 860 people were killed and 393 injured during police operations and patrols across Port-au-Prince, including 36 children, raising concerns about the use of excessive force.
The gangs have also recruited many children into their ranks. Meanwhile, an estimated 1.6 million people in Haiti are facing emergency-level food insecurity.
In response to the crisis, the UN Security Council authorized a multinational stabilization force led by Kenya in October 2023 to assist the Haitian police.
Kenyan President William Ruto announced at the UN General Assembly that his country plans to complete the deployment of the 2,500-strong Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) by January.
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