Haiti is facing a severe surge in gang violence, with at least 26 gangs operating in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, forcing 1.4 million people to flee and causing thousands of deaths. Gangs have expanded beyond the capital into the Artibonite and Centre departments, controlling key maritime and overland routes that sustain their operations and financing. They continue to terrorize communities through killings, kidnappings, extortion, trafficking, and destruction of property, often targeting those perceived as cooperating with authorities or defying their control.
The violence involves not only gangs but also Haitian security forces, private contractors, and self-defence groups. A UN report identified nearly 250 instances of summary executions by police using disproportionate force, while private military operations, including drone strikes and helicopter gunfire, have raised legal concerns. Self-defence groups and armed mobs have engaged in lynching suspected gang members, sometimes with alleged police facilitation.
The UN emphasizes that security efforts alone are insufficient without parallel progress in governance, justice, accountability, and social services, particularly for youth. Sustained international support is crucial to breaking the cycle of violence, with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and the newly established United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) playing key roles in logistics and operational support to restore stability and protect civilians.
