Around 40 dead in gang attack on displaced people's camp in Haiti church
At least 40 people are dead after gang members attacked a site housing displaced people in a church near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, local officials said on Monday (August 24, 2026).
The attack took place on Sunday night (August 23, 2026) in the town of Kenscoff, in the hills above the capital. Mayor Massillon Jean said the assailants targeted a displaced persons camp located in a church, adding that some people were killed execution-style.
"We have counted around 40 bodies. Searches are continuing. Some people are still missing," Mr. Jean said, describing "a night of terror" in a town that has faced months of gang violence. He said dozens were wounded and some people were abducted by the criminals.
In a statement issued after 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 sent to restore security in the area.
Kenscoff, a mountainous municipality southeast of the capital, has for months been the scene of clashes and incursions by armed groups seeking to expand their control. The attack underscores the escalating violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of Haitians and worsened the country's humanitarian crisis.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has for years struggled with political instability, natural disasters, corruption, and violence from powerful gangs that carry out rampant killings, rapes, looting, and kidnappings. The gangs control much of the capital, including key roads and ports, severely restricting the movement of people and goods.
According to United Nations figures, nearly 1.5 million Haitians are currently displaced in a country of about 11 million people, and more than five million are facing severe food insecurity. The UN has repeatedly documented human rights violations, including summary executions, sexual violence, and forced recruitment of children by armed groups.
The crisis deepened in early 2024 when gangs launched a wave of coordinated attacks, forcing the then unelected prime minister to resign. Since then, the security situation has remained volatile despite the deployment of an international security mission.
Haiti has not held any kind of election since 2016. Its last president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in July 2021 and not replaced. A general election is scheduled for December of this year, but the ongoing violence and lack of security have raised doubts about whether the vote can be held as planned.
The attack in Kenscoff comes as the UN and humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of the dire conditions faced by displaced families, many of whom live in makeshift camps with limited access to food, water, and healthcare. The killing of civilians in a place of worship has drawn widespread condemnation from local and international observers, though no official statement from the UN was immediately available.
Local authorities have appealed for additional security assistance and humanitarian support. The government's announcement of reinforcements indicates a recognition that state control has been weakened, but analysts say that without a broader political solution, the cycle of violence is likely to continue.
