The United States and UN strongly condemn deadly gang attack in Kenscoff
The United States on Tuesday strongly condemned the gang attack on Kenscoff, joining the United Nations in denouncing one of the deadliest single assaults Haiti has seen this year.
“The United States strongly condemns the violent attack against the farming community of Kenscoff,” the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince said in a statement posted to its official account on X on Tuesday evening. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families and we remain committed to supporting Haitian-led security efforts to end gang terror.”
The attack, which unfolded overnight on August 23, killed at least 47 people, including 22 who were executed inside a church where they had sought refuge, according to the United Nations. More than 50 others were reportedly kidnapped, and gangs set fire to homes and vehicles in what Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon described as “a night of terror.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the assault, warning that it underscored “the alarming security conditions in Haiti” and calling on Haitian authorities to hold those responsible accountable, including through the country’s newly created specialized judicial units for mass crimes.
The Kenscoff massacre also drew reaction inside Haiti, including from the Office of the Citizen’s Protection and human rights organizations, which called for urgent measures to protect civilians and restore security in affected areas.
A deadly second quarter, according to BINUH
The condemnations come days after the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) reported that at least 1,408 people were killed and 656 others injured nationwide between April and June, as gang violence continued to inflict a heavy toll on civilians.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the U.N. Secretary-General’s special representative in Haiti and head of BINUH, said the figures show that “the population continues to bear an unacceptable toll from violence,” and stressed that protecting civilians must remain central to security efforts.
The United States strongly condemns the violent attack against the farming community of Kenscoff. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families and we remain committed to supporting Haitian-led security efforts to end gang terror.
