At least 262 people killed over two months in brutal attacks in Kenscoff, on the heights of Port-au-Prince
07 April 2025
Port-au-Prince, April 7, 2025: The attacks carried out since more than two months in Kenscoff, a commune on the heights of Port-au-Prince, have resulted in at least 262 deaths and 66 injuries - at least 53% of which were members of the population and 47% individuals associated with criminal groups, according to a report published today by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCDH).
"The information collected and verified by our teams following a thorough investigation establish that the attacks against Kenscoff were extremely brutal to create panic among the population", said the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Haiti and Head of BINUH, Maria Isabel Salvador.
Men, women and children were executed inside their homes, while others were shot on the roads and paths while trying to escape. The bodies of the victims were then burned. Sexual violence, particularly rape, was also committed against women and young girls. Around 200 homes were destroyed or set on fire and more than 3,000 people had to flee.
Criminal groups have carried out these attacks in order to extend their control over the mountainous localities of Kenscoff, in order to destabilize the municipality of Pétion-Ville. By extending their influence on this area, the criminal groups and those who support them would also seek to further weaken the authorities in place.
On the first day of the attacks, January 27, Haitian security forces were deployed with delay. However, after that and despite limited means and personnel operating on several fronts across the capital, they have gradually strengthened their presence in the municipality of Kenscoff, with the support of the Multinational Security Support Mission.
This deployment managed to slow down the progress of criminal groups but has not yet allowed to restore public order.
The latest attacks were recorded in the municipality of Kenscoff between March 24 and 27, thus demonstrating the continued presence of criminal groups and their ability to install numerous cells in the area. Since the beginning of the confrontations, four members of the security forces have been killed and four others have been wounded. A member of the MSSM was also injured.
Since the beginning of the attacks, State services, including the National Directorate of Potable Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), United Nations agencies and several national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have provided humanitarian assistance and protective measures for those affected by this violence.
However, these initiatives remain insufficient considering the needs and psychological trauma experienced by survivors, especially children, who have been victims or direct witnesses of extreme violence, including sexual violence.
The report also contains recommendations to both the Haitian authorities and the international community to contribute to improving the security situation and supporting the security forces.
The process of collecting data for this investigation followed a rigorous documentation and verification methodology, accurately identifying the sequence of events that occurred in Kenscoff, with attacks carried out in six stages, clearly detailed in the report published today.
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Contact: Mathias Gillmann, Spokesperson, BINUH; E-mail: gillmann@un.org
