Haiti Attack Kills Over 70 in Artibonite Region

Artibonite, Haiti: A deadly gang attack in Haiti’s key agricultural region of Artibonite has left at least 70 people dead and around 30 injured, according to a leading human rights organization, sharply exceeding earlier official estimates.

The Collective Defending Human Rights group reported the significantly higher toll on Monday, contrasting with initial figures released by authorities. Police had earlier confirmed 16 deaths and 10 injuries, while civil protection officials reported 17 fatalities and 19 wounded in their preliminary assessment.

A spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack during a press briefing, noting that reported death toll estimates ranged widely between 10 and 80 victims. The UN called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.

The human rights group described the incident as a “massacre,” stating that nearly 6,000 residents were forced to flee their homes following the violence. It also criticized authorities for what it termed a “complete abdication of responsibility,” citing the lack of an effective security response in the region.

According to local civil protection officials, armed members of the Gran Grif gang launched the attack in the Jean-Denis area around 3:00 a.m. on Sunday. The assault comes amid escalating violence in nearby areas, including Verrettes, where recent UN reports indicated that more than 2,000 people were displaced due to similar armed raids.

The Artibonite department, known as Haiti’s breadbasket, has increasingly become a hotspot for gang-related violence as criminal groups expand their control beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In March, the United States government announced a reward of up to $3 million for information related to the financial operations of the Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm groups. Both have been designated as terrorist organizations by Washington and are believed to represent coalitions of numerous armed gangs.

Despite intensified operations by Haitian security forces, supported by a UN-backed international mission and a US private military firm, authorities have yet to capture any major gang leaders.

Haiti continues to face a deepening humanitarian crisis, with over one million people displaced due to ongoing gang violence. Since 2021, nearly 20,000 people have been killed, with the death toll rising each year, further worsening food insecurity and instability across the country.