At least 47 people were killed and 22 others wounded after armed gang members stormed a church compound sheltering displaced residents near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, according to the United Nations.
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known as BINUH, told France 24 that the number of fatalities may increase as officials gather additional information about the assault in the hillside community of Kenscoff.
Kenscoff Mayor Massillon Jean said the violence began at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and continued into Monday, blaming the attack on the Viv Ansanm gang coalition.
“Last night was a night of terror that struck the commune of Kenscoff,” Jean told Radio Magic 9 on Monday, according to The Haitian Times.
People who survived the attack reported that homes were set on fire and some residents were abducted during the violence.
Agenzia Fides, the news service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reported that one of the buildings burned by the gang was a worship center belonging to the evangelical Church of the Ark of the New Covenant near the municipal cemetery in central Kenscoff. The attackers also reportedly killed animals, including horses.
The assault comes amid worsening gang violence across Haiti. BINUH reported Wednesday that at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 injured nationwide between April and June 2026, with gang attacks accounting for 55% of all casualties during that period.
The United Nations also said violent clashes between rival gangs in Plaine du Cul-de-Sac and several neighborhoods of Cité Soleil have intensified as armed groups compete for territory and illegal revenue, driving violence in those areas to levels not seen since at least early 2024.
