At least 16 people were killed in a violent gang attack on a town in central Haiti over the weekend, police have confirmed, as United Nations officials warned the death toll could rise significantly, with estimates reaching as high as 80.
The attack took place from late Saturday into Sunday in Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, where members of the Gran Grif gang reportedly set houses on fire and opened fire on residents.
UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the incident highlights the severity of the security crisis in the country. He noted that casualty figures remain unclear, with estimates ranging widely.
“This attack underscores the gravity of the security situation faced by the Haitian population,” Dujarric said.
Local rights activist Bertide Horace said armed attackers burned homes and continued assaults into Monday, with additional violence reported in the area. She estimated that around 30 people were killed, with others missing and injured.
However, police put the confirmed death toll at 16, with 10 others wounded, while the National Human Rights Defense Network, represented by Pierre Esperance, suggested as many as 70 people may have been killed based on witness accounts.
Speaking to AFP, Esperance said fleeing residents were shot while others were executed at close range.
Saint-Marc prosecutor Venson François said access to the area has been difficult, making it impossible to verify the full scale of the deaths. He warned the toll could be higher as the attack coincided with a local festival, when many residents were gathered.
Haiti has long struggled with widespread gang violence, marked by killings, kidnappings and sexual violence. According to a recent UN human rights report, more than 5,500 people were killed between March 2025 and mid-January in violence linked to gangs, security operations, and self-defence groups.
Of those deaths, at least 1,424 were attributed directly to gang activity, while security force operations accounted for 3,497 fatalities. Self-defence groups were responsible for a further 598 deaths.