Gangs Wreak Havoc in Haiti with Unprecedented Violence

Summary

Gang violence in Haiti reached catastrophic levels in 2023 and 2024, with the United Nations documenting over 4,789 people killed in 2023 alone, plus thousands more injured and kidnapped. The crisis escalated dramatically in early 2024 when Haiti's most powerful criminal gangs forged a non-aggression pact and launched coordinated attacks on government buildings, police stations, hospitals, and critical infrastructure including ports and roads. The capital Port-au-Prince was effectively paralyzed.

By early 2024, the violence had created a severe humanitarian crisis, with half of Haiti's population facing acute hunger and the government losing control of large portions of the country. International calls for a UN-authorized security mission intensified as Haitian authorities proved unable to contain the gangs.