Haiti Gang Attack: At Least 47 Killed Near Port-au-Prince, UN Confirms
PORT-AU-PRINCE — August 24, 2026 — At least 47 people were killed and 22 others wounded in a violent gang attack on a displaced persons sheltering in a church in Kenscoff, a hillside community just outside the Haitian capital, the United Nations and local officials confirmed on Monday, August 24 .
The assault, which began late Sunday night, was carried out by members of the armed coalition Viv Ansanm. The attackers raided a church serving as a camp for people who had already fled earlier violence, executing people and setting homes on fire . The death toll was confirmed by Kenscoff Mayor Massillon Jean, who told AFP that “we have counted around 40 bodies. Searches are continuing. Some people are still missing” . The UN office in Haiti later updated the casualty count to 47 dead .
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Attack Details and Casualties
The attack started around 10:30 p.m. local time and focused on a displaced persons camp located within a church . Gang members also conducted arson attacks on dozens of homes in the community, targeting the home of Dr. Jean “Bill” Pape, a prominent public health expert .
Residents described the attack as a massacre, with many bodies found in the streets. Wails filled the air as survivors found the bodies of family members . A farmer named Mathurin Pierre, 41, told the Associated Press he lost 14 loved ones, with an unknown number still missing .
The casualty estimates vary: the Haitian rights group RNDDH estimated between 30 and 40 people killed and 15 to 20 injured, while the UN later confirmed 47 dead and 22 injured .
Government and Community Response
The Haitian government condemned the “heinous attack” in a statement, stating, “Kenscoff will not be abandoned. Haiti will not be handed over to bandits. The Republic will prevail.” The government announced that security forces were on high alert and reinforcements were being deployed .
Despite this, residents have demanded the resignation of the local police chief, alleging that the police failed to protect people who were killed just minutes from the police station .
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé’s office declared: “The government’s authority will be restored, without weakness and without delay, throughout all of Kenscoff.”
Context of Escalating Gang Violence
The attack is part of a broader crisis in Haiti, where gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and have been expanding into nearby regions . The Viv Ansanm gang coalition, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US government last year, has been responsible for a series of violent attacks .
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Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, with more than 3,100 people reported killed from January to June 2026 and another 1,189 injured, according to UN statistics . The attack comes as Haiti prepares for presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December 13, 2026 .
A UN-backed Gang Suppression Force is in the process of being established to assist local police, with a planned capacity of more than 5,500 troops by autumn, but its impact on the current crisis remains limited.
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