Haiti’s gang violence crisis leaves thousands dead

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani

 

A United Nations report has revealed that nearly 5,000 people have been killed in Haiti since October 2024 amid escalating gang violence. UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani warns that the crisis is spreading beyond Port‑au‑Prince, amplifying displacement and trafficking threats.

Shamdasani highlighted the crisis, pinpointing an October massacre in Port‑Saint‑Denis (Pont‑Sondé) as a turning point. She warned of escalating gang control extending beyond the capital, risking expansion into transnational arms and human trafficking networks.

 

Reuters reports that Shamdasani also drew attention to unchecked violence involving self-defence groups and abuses by security forces, including summary executions. 

To curb the violence, Haiti has deployed special police units backed by a Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) under a UN Security Council mandate. This has somewhat slowed gang advances—yet abuses by self-defence groups and security forces are rising. Shamdasani urges urgent international backing and stronger enforcement of arms embargoes and targeted sanctions