At least 16 people were killed and 6,000 displaced in a coordinated gang assault in Haiti’s Artibonite region over the weekend. Police confirm the fatalities, but local sources estimate up to 70 dead.
The Gran Grif gang, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States in May 2023, is suspected of carrying out the attacks. Residents describe armed gang members arriving from all directions, setting homes ablaze, and shooting those fleeing.
Survivors reported finding bodies along roadsides. The ombudsman’s office confirmed at least 19 gunshot wounds, but access remains blocked by gang activity.
The assault was allegedly led by "Ti Kenken," a former vigilante leader who switched allegiance to Gran Grif. Experts warn this reflects a dangerous pattern: armed groups shifting between roles as protectors, criminals, and state allies.
This follows a similar massacre in Pont-Sondé in October 2024, where over 100 died. The U.S. State Department has labeled Gran Grif and its ally Viv Ansanm as the primary drivers of Haiti’s collapse into gang-controlled territory.
A new UN-backed Gang Suppression Force is scheduled to deploy in April, replacing the under-resourced multinational police mission.