A brutal attack by the Gran Grif gang on the small Haitian town of Pont-Sondé has left at least 70 people dead, including children, local authorities and the United Nations reported Thursday.
The massacre occurred in the central Artibonite region, about 71 kilometers (44 miles) northwest of the capital Port-au-Prince. Sixteen people were seriously injured in the attack, according to UN sources.
“This is nothing short of a massacre,” said a government prosecutor, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. Video footage shows residents fleeing the violence on motorbikes and on foot.
The UN reported that gang members “set fire to at least 45 houses and 34 vehicles” during the rampage. Gran Grif, considered one of Haiti’s most violent gangs, has a history of attacks in the region, including a January 2023 assault on a police station that left six officers dead.
This latest outbreak of violence comes as Haiti grapples with widespread gang control across large parts of the country. A UN-backed policing mission, led by Kenyan officers, began in June in an attempt to restore order.
“The situation in Haiti demands urgent international attention,” said Pierre Espérance, executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network. “This attack underscores the critical need for effective intervention to protect civilian lives.”
Prime Minister Garry Conille has vowed to crack down on gang violence, with the UN calling for a “robust use of force.” The international body has approved a policing mission of 2,500 officers from various countries, including 1,000 pledged by Kenya.
The attack comes nearly a month after Haitian authorities expanded a state of emergency to cover the entire country. As the security crisis deepens, concerns grow about the ability of the UN-backed mission to effectively combat entrenched gang violence and restore stability to the beleaguered nation.
