Outrage in Haiti following massacre perpetrated by armed gangs in Kenscoff
The Haitian nation is plunged into grief and outrage following a bloody massacre that occurred early this Monday in the commune of Kenscoff, east of Port-au-Prince. Armed groups stormed the town, leaving a tragic toll that local authorities and media estimate at dozens of dead, intensifying the security crisis the country is going through.
Attack details and casualty count
The attack has shaken the community, where at least forty deaths have been reported. Among the victims are women, children, and young people, many of whom were caught while seeking refuge in a local church. In addition to the human losses, criminal groups set fire to dozens of homes, leaving numerous families destitute.
Faced with this spiral of violence, we cannot get used to the horror nor remain indifferent. The State must fully assume its responsibility to protect the population.
Jocelerme Privert, former provisional president of Haiti
Demands for justice and state action
The Office of Citizen Protection (OPC) has strongly condemned these acts, urging the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) to implement urgent measures to restore order in Kenscoff. The population, exhausted by more than 20 months of constant insecurity, staged protests this Monday in front of the local police station to demand concrete responses to state inaction.
Context of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis
The incursion into Kenscoff, a strategically important area due to its connection with the Southeast department and the city of Jacmel, is attributed to the armed coalition Viv Ansanm. This territory, which had remained relatively stable, has begun to suffer from the expansion of these criminal structures that operate with limited state presence.
- More than 2,300 dead and 1,100 injured registered in the first five months of the year.
- Nearly 700 victims of sexual violence, affecting mainly women and girls.
- Approximately 5.8 million people face severe food insecurity.
- The number of internally displaced persons reached a record high of 1.4 million last year.
Given the gravity of the events, high-ranking officials of the Haitian National Police and representatives of the Public Ministry have moved to the area to assess the situation, while the country continues to await effective measures that guarantee the life and safety of its citizens.
