Haiti Gang Attack Kills 30+ in Kenscoff: 2026 Update

At least 30 people were killed and 15 to 20 wounded in a Haiti gang attack on Kenscoff, a hillside town overlooking Port-au-Prince, during the night of August 24-25, 2026. The death toll has since climbed to as high as 47, according to the United Nations, making it one of the deadliest single episodes in Haiti's ongoing gang violence crisis.

Gunmen descended on the farming community late Sunday, setting homes ablaze and attacking residents, leaving bodies in the streets and survivors searching for missing relatives. The attack underscores the deepening security collapse in a country that has lacked an elected president since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.

Background: Haiti's Spiral of Gang Violence

Armed gangs have steadily expanded their control across Haiti, with the Haitian conflict and gang coalitions now dominating an estimated 85-90% of Port-au-Prince. The Viv Ansanm coalition, formed in 2024 by rival groups G9 and G-Pèp, has pushed beyond the capital into areas such as Artibonite and Centre departments. According to the UN, about 3,100 people were killed by gang violence in the first half of 2026 alone, and 1.5 million people have been internally displaced.

Kenscoff itself has been targeted repeatedly since 2024. The UN estimated that 260 people were killed there in early 2025, followed by roughly ten more attacks in which residents were raped, kidnapped, and their homes burned and livestock stolen.

The Kenscoff Attack: What We Know

Timeline of the Massacre

The violence began around 22:30 local time on Sunday, August 24, 2026, according to the Haitian human rights organization RNDDH. Armed men entered Kenscoff, a municipality located in the hills above Port-au-Prince, and began shooting and torching houses. The mayor of Kenscoff reported at least 30 dead, while RNDDH estimated 30 to 40 killed and 15 to 20 wounded, cautioning that a complete picture remained difficult to establish.

Casualties and Witness Accounts

By Monday morning, bodies lay in the streets as residents searched for missing family members. "We saw people running from their homes in the middle of the night, and the gunmen kept coming," one survivor told local media. The UN later cited a toll of 47 dead as the count remained fluid. The attack is part of a pattern of mass-casualty raids that have made Haiti one of the most dangerous places in the Americas.

Why Elections Are at Risk in 2026

Haiti is scheduled to hold its first elections in more than a decade by late 2026, with a US$120 million budget approved and officials hoping an elected president can take office in February 2027. However, experts warn that the security situation in Haiti before elections makes credible voting nearly impossible. Gangs control key transport routes, complicate voter registration, and have directly targeted political processes in the past.

The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, which transitioned into a UN-backed Gang Suppression Force under Resolution 2793, remains under-resourced with fewer than 1,000 troops. "Military intervention alone cannot restore order; elections require a secure environment that does not yet exist," a UN official said.

Impact: Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis

The Kenscoff massacre will likely deepen Haiti's humanitarian emergency. More than half of Haiti's 11 million people require aid, and the US$880 million humanitarian appeal is severely underfunded. The Haiti displacement and humanitarian crisis has pushed families into overcrowded shelters while international attention remains divided. As gang violence spreads, communities like Kenscoff face a brutal cycle of attacks, displacement, and return.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in Kenscoff, Haiti, in August 2026?

Armed gang members attacked the hillside town of Kenscoff on the night of August 24-25, 2026, killing at least 30 people and wounding 15 to 20 others. The death toll later rose to as high as 47, according to the UN.

Which gangs control Port-au-Prince in 2026?

Coalitions such as Viv Ansanm, formed from the former G9 and G-Pèp groups, control an estimated 85-90% of Port-au-Prince and have expanded into surrounding regions.

Will Haiti hold elections in 2026?

Yes, Haiti plans to hold long-delayed elections by late 2026, but security experts and the UN warn that ongoing gang violence may make credible voting impossible.

How many people have been displaced by gang violence in Haiti?

Approximately 1.5 million people were internally displaced as of mid-2026, according to the International Organization for Migration and the UN.

Why has Haiti been without a president since 2021?

President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his residence in July 2021, creating a power vacuum that no transitional government has been able to fill, allowing gangs to expand their control.