Thirteen people held captive by armed gangs in the Kenscoff area of Haiti have been freed, according to an announcement from UN representatives. The group comprised six children and seven women who were seized during a large-scale attack on the hillside community located near Port-au-Prince.
The abduction occurred on August 23 when an estimated 150 armed gang members attacked Kenscoff. During the assault, attackers opened fire on residents in streets and pursued some individuals into a nearby Protestant church. Those who had sought refuge in the building were forced outside, with UN reports indicating that approximately 22 people were killed in the church’s courtyard and another dozen in the area behind it. In total, at least 47 people died during the attack, while more than 50 were taken captive. The violence also displaced approximately 2,647 residents, with some homes set ablaze.
UN officials have characterized the incident as emblematic of broader instability gripping Haiti. The nation has experienced a significant escalation in gang-related violence, with armed groups expanding their territorial control amid political dysfunction. Haiti’s government has faced a prolonged legitimacy crisis following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise and subsequent leadership transitions. A general election is currently scheduled for December of this year after multiple postponements. Armed groups have capitalized on the governance vacuum, at one point controlling approximately 90 percent of Port-au-Prince.
The human toll of gang violence has been substantial. Between April and June alone, approximately 1,408 people were killed in gang-related incidents, with 656 injured according to UN data. The organization also documented 326 instances of sexual violence during the same period. Displacement has affected approximately 1.47 million people as of May. In response, a UN-backed Gang Suppression Force began deploying to Haiti in April, though progress has been limited. Following the Kenscoff attack, gang members reportedly threatened violence against remaining captives if security operations continued, though the Haitian government vowed to surge forces to the region and restore state authority.
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