Violence flares in Haiti as gang attack kills 30 people | News
KENSCOFF, Haiti (AP) — A surge in violence has resulted in the deaths of at least 30 individuals in Haiti, as armed groups intensified attacks on a farming community in Kenscoff, located south of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Authorities reported that the assault occurred late Sunday, coinciding with preparations for the nation’s first general election in over a decade. Amid rising tensions, the violence has raised concerns over the safety and feasibility of the upcoming vote.
Jean Massillon, the mayor of Kenscoff, described the scene as chaotic, with armed men setting fire to homes and attacking residents. Among the targeted locations was a church and the residence of Jean William Pape, a prominent public health expert. Massillon attributed the assault to members of the gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm, which was labeled a “foreign terrorist organization” by the U.S. government last year.
Gangs have grown increasingly powerful in Haiti, controlling approximately 70 percent of Port-au-Prince. Viv Ansanm has been implicated in multiple attacks on Kenscoff, a strategically positioned area that oversees critical routes leading to Petion-Ville, where foreign embassies and the temporary government seat are situated.
A United Nations-backed gang suppression force, intended to assist local police in curbing gang activities and restoring order, has yet to achieve its full deployment of 5,500 personnel.
According to UN reports, gang-related violence has displaced an estimated 1.5 million people within Haiti. Efforts to quell such violence have been met with limited success, with over 3,100 fatalities and 1,189 injuries documented between January and June. This ongoing turmoil has drawn significant international concern.
In response to the recent attacks, Haiti’s prime minister’s office condemned the violence as “heinous” and assured the public that security forces were on high alert, with additional reinforcements being dispatched. “Kenscoff will not be abandoned,” the statement read. “The government’s authority will be restored, without weakness and without delay.”
Despite efforts to facilitate voter registration for elections scheduled in January, experts have voiced serious concerns regarding the safety of conducting the vote amid the current climate of violence.
