UN says Haiti gang raid killed 47, kidnapped more than 50
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A gang raid near Port-au-Prince killed at least 47 people and left more than 50 kidnapped, the United Nations said on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the August 23 attack in Kenscoff, calling it evidence of Haiti's alarming security situation. Residents demanded the local police chief resign, saying officers failed to protect people killed near the police station.
Key Facts
- At least 47 people were killed, more than 50 kidnapped, and 22 injured in the August 23 gang raid in Kenscoff, near Port-au-Prince.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and said it underscores the urgent need to intensify Haitian and international security efforts against gangs.
- Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon said armed men set homes on fire and killed residents, targeting a church and the home of public health expert Jean William Pape.
- The attack is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, according to the United Nations.
- Residents demanded the local police chief step down, saying officers failed to protect people killed a short distance from the police station.
The Kenscoff Attack
The gang raid took place on the evening of August 23 in Kenscoff, a town near Port-au-Prince. Armed men set homes on fire and killed residents, according to Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon. Massillon said gang members targeted a church and homes, including that of Jean William Pape, a leading public health expert. He blamed the attack on members of Viv Ansanm, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States government last year.
Victims and Government Response
Kenscoff resident Marc Paul, 42, said gangs kidnapped his brother, stepmother, stepfather and two cousins. Paul said his 16-year-old niece was captured and raped but escaped and has reunited with him. Another resident, Coriolan Kendy, standing by his cousin's body, told Reuters: "People in Kenscoff are suffering and the government is to blame." The prime minister's office promised action, stating that "Kenscoff will not be abandoned" and that government authority will be restored without weakness or delay. In a video posted on social media, a gang leader threatened Vladimir Paraison, director of the Haitian National Police, saying he would kill hostages if any gang members were hurt.
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UN says Haiti gang raid killed 47, kidnapped more than 50
