United Nations report highlights surge in gang violence in Haiti

Between January 1 and September 11, 2026, at least 5,700 people were killed or injured in Haiti due to systemic gang violence and security operations, according to Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk reported that gangs have abducted more than 230 individuals and committed over 1,000 rapes against women and girls. Notably, over 50% of these casualties resulted from security operations against criminal groups involving stray bullets and drone-based explosives. Furthermore, the forced recruitment of children by gangs has nearly tripled as a desperate survival mechanism.

This security crisis has significantly worsened since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. Despite some tactical successes in regaining control over specific areas in Port-au-Prince, criminal organizations continue to adapt, expand, and seize key transport routes across the country. The UN official emphasized that the actual scale of the humanitarian disaster is likely much higher than the recorded statistics. Haiti remains in a state of chronic political and economic instability, with gangs effectively filling the power vacuum. Ongoing efforts remain focused on restoring order while the country prepares for future national processes.