Gang Attack in Haiti’s Kenscoff Kills at Least 47, Kidnaps Dozens

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped in a gang attack on the community of Kenscoff, in the hills above Port-au-Prince, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. The assault took place overnight on August 23-24.

United Nations officials said 22 of the victims were executed inside a church compound where they had sought shelter. At least five of the dead were children. Local mayor Jean Massillon reported that 25 homes and other structures were set on fire, including the Church of the New Covenant Age and the residence of prominent physician Jean William "Bill" Pape.

A gang member identifying himself as Izo 2, also known as Didi, claimed responsibility in a video. He said he operates under the broader Viv Ansanm coalition, which the United States has designated a foreign terrorist organisation. He threatened to kill the hostages if Haitian authorities kill any gang members during efforts to retake the area.

Kenscoff had been considered relatively peaceful compared with neighbourhoods deeper inside the capital. It has suffered repeated attacks since early 2025, when more than 260 people were killed in a series of raids that forced thousands to flee. Sunday’s assault was the largest yet in the current cycle of violence.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack, noting the alarming security conditions across Haiti. Haitian Prime Minister’s office stated that the government’s authority would be restored without weakness. Residents, however, demanded the resignation of the local police chief, arguing that officers failed to protect people killed within minutes of the station.

Access to the area remained difficult in the days after the raid, complicating efforts to establish a final death toll and to recover bodies. Justice of the peace and prosecutors confirmed at least 25 deaths on the ground, while the United Nations figure of 47 includes those still being verified.

Haiti’s police force is outnumbered and outgunned by the major gang coalitions that control large parts of the capital and surrounding corridors. International efforts to reinforce the police have produced limited results. Elections remain delayed because of the security crisis.

The attack on Kenscoff illustrates the expansion of gang control beyond the densest urban zones into strategic hillside communities that overlook access routes into Port-au-Prince. Control of such terrain allows gangs to tax traffic, intimidate remaining residents, and project power.

Survivors described finding bodies in the streets and inside burned buildings. One woman was recorded repeatedly calling out for her son. Medical facilities in the area were already strained before the raid; the influx of wounded and the need to identify the dead added further pressure.

No immediate large-scale security operation to clear Kenscoff was reported in the first 48 hours. The combination of difficult terrain, limited police capacity, and the presence of hostages creates a high risk of further casualties if an assault is attempted.

The humanitarian and political consequences continue to accumulate. Each major attack deepens displacement, erodes public confidence, and reduces the space for any negotiated reduction in violence. Kenscoff is the latest example of a pattern that has persisted for years.