Armed Gang Raid on Kenscoff: 47 Dead, More Than 50 Kidnapped

# What happened On the night of Aug. 23, armed gangs carried out a large-scale attack on Kenscoff, a farming community in the hills above Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. The United Nations reported at least 47 people killed and more than 50 people abducted. U.N. officials said at least five of the dead were children.

# Where it occurred and why it matters locally

# What victims experienced Residents who tried to shelter in a church were not spared. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres reported that 22 people were executed inside a church compound where they had sought refuge. Reports also describe dozens wounded in the raid.

# Who the attackers are and the threats Local officials blamed members of Viv Ansanm, a gang coalition that the United States designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2025. A gang figure identifying himself as Izo 2, also called "Didi," posted a video warning Haiti's national police director, Vladimir Paraison, that his group would kill hostages if any gang members were harmed.

# Scale and context of violence in Haiti This raid is described as one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent years. Armed groups control an estimated 70 percent of Port-au-Prince and hold territory elsewhere in the country. Previously reported figures show gang violence killed more than 3,050 people in the first half of 2025 and displaced about 1.5 million people internally. From April to June of that year, nearly 800 rapes were reported, many described as collective crimes.

# Government and international response Haiti's government said security forces were placed on alert and reinforcements were sent to the area. The hostages remained in gang custody in the latest accounts. U.N. officials, including Secretary-General Guterres, condemned the attack and highlighted the country's alarming security conditions.

# Related developments The attack occurred while the United States has been removing Haitians after Temporary Protected Status (TPS) ended. U.S. authorities have deported individuals with criminal convictions, and U.S. officials previously designated some Haitian gang coalitions as foreign terrorist organizations.

# What to watch next

• Efforts by Haitian security forces to recover hostages and secure Kenscoff.
• Any international or regional responses to address gang control of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.
• Humanitarian impacts, including displacement and local needs after homes were burned and residents wounded.

# Bottom line Port-au-Prince: mass killings, large kidnappings, burning of homes, and public threats by gang leaders. Local and international attention is focused on hostage recovery and restoring security in affected communities.