More than 50 kidnapped as violent gang attack in Haiti leaves 47 dead

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped when armed men attacked the Kenscoff neighborhood, a hillside community above Port‑au‑Prince, on Sunday, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The assault is described as one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years and has prompted the gang leader to threaten execution of hostages if police or U.N. forces kill any gang members during a rescue operation.

The incident shattered the impression that security in Haiti was improving. Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, called the attack a “major political and security test” for the government, the police and the international mission. He warned that the gang’s threat to kill hostages is a trap: if forces do not act, they have failed to protect civilians; if they act and hostages die, the gangs will blame the state.

Kenscoff residents reported that the gang abducted a family of five – a brother, stepmother, stepfather and two cousins – and a 16‑year‑old niece who was also raped but managed to escape. The family’s 42‑year‑old husband, Marc Paul, said his home had already been destroyed in a January 2025 gang attack and that the Sunday assault was far more violent. He described running over bodies and expressed fear for his family’s future, adding that the gang’s video, which threatened his brother’s life, was “scary.”

The gang’s threat was posted on social media by a member who identified himself as Izo 2, a nickname for Johnson André, a powerful Haitian gang leader. In the video, Izo 2 addressed Vladimir Paraison, director of Haiti’s National Police, saying, “Paraison, if any of our soldiers are hurt, I will kill all of them.” Le Cour noted that Izo 2, also known as “Didi,” leads the armed group in Kenscoff on behalf of and in coordination with other gang leaders.

The attack may have been designed to force the Haitian police and the U.N.-backed gang‑suppression force to divert limited resources to Kenscoff, Le Cour said. He added that the gangs may also be sending a message to the government and police ahead of Haiti’s first general election in more than a decade, scheduled for December 13. The gangs are signaling that they can still strike effectively.

Kenscoff has seen a steady rise in violence since a major January 2025 attack. The Sunday assault was the largest yet, with five of the 47 victims being children, according to the U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres condemned the attack, noting that 22 of the victims were reportedly executed in a church compound where they had sought shelter. Guterres said, “The relentless gang attacks on communities and the loss of lives underscore the alarming security conditions in Haiti.”

Kenscoff mayor Jean Massillon told the Associated Press that gangs set fire to 25 homes and killed two government employees, including his cousin who served as his security detail. Massillon said, “The atrocity of this crime reminds us that we have to continue working stronger every day to bring peace to the community. I’m optimistic that the state will continue working to eradicate the gangs in Kenscoff.”

Researchers say Kenscoff’s strategic location allows gangs to control routes between Port‑au‑Prince and the southern region and to surround the upscale community of Pétion‑Ville. María Fernanda Arocha, a researcher with the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, noted that security operations had reduced violence in Kenscoff by 66% from January to August before the attack. She added that criminal groups are now expanding into rural communities that are vulnerable due to limited police presence.

Survivors have accused the government of inadequate protection prior to the attack. Haiti’s National Police denied the accusations, stating that Paraison had ordered an investigation into the attack “whether due to complicity or negligence” and had dispatched additional specialized units to the area. The police said it is “an obligation to protect the civilian population.”

Haiti remains largely under gang control, with armed men controlling an estimated 70% of Port‑au‑Prince and large swaths of central Haiti. The U.N. reports that from January to June, more than 3,050 people were killed and 800 rapes were reported, 87% of which were collective rapes. At least 81 people were kidnapped in that period, a 40% increase over the previous quarter, the U.N. said. The figures, it added, represent only a portion of total kidnappings, as many families negotiate directly with kidnappers rather than report incidents to police.