More than 5,000 people killed or injured in Haiti due to gang violence this year, UN says
The United Nations said violent gangs continue to "adapt and expand" across the country, further threatening its stability.
More than 5,000 people killed or injured in Haiti due to gang violence this year, UN says
The UN said hundreds of casualties were caught in the crossfire during security operations aimed at cracking down on gang violence.
More than 5,700 people have been killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September 2026, the United Nations said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk added that more than 230 people have also been kidnapped.
An estimated 1,000 women and girls have been raped, but Türk said the real number is "likely much higher".
Gangs have held varying levels of power in Haiti for decades. The latest broad surge in gang violence was driven by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021.
Gang violence was already widespread under Moïse, but the power vacuum left by his killing enabled violent groups to take control of more territory and grow more influential.
Türk said gangs "continue to adapt and expand", with evidence gathered by the UN indicating "a strategy of seizing new territory and key transport routes, threatening stability".
He said the number of executions carried out by specialised police units has fallen in recent months, but people allegedly linked to gangs still face a high risk of summary executions.
The high commissioner also said recruitment of children into gangs has "nearly tripled", as for many minors joining a gang "can be the only mean of survival".
"No child should be forced to choose between their lives and the security of their neighbours," Türk said.
Haiti is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on 13 December.
However, Türk said that it is "hard to imagine the conditions to hold a credible election could be met this year", given the current situation.
A multinational police force has been operating in Haiti since 2025 to tackle escalating gang violence in the conflict-torn country, but it has struggled to even enter areas where gangs hold sway.