Myanmar Massacre: 70+ Killed, Rights Group Reports

At least 70 people were killed and 30 injured in a gang attack in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to a human rights organization. The death toll is significantly higher than initial reports from police and civil protection officials, who reported 16 and 17 fatalities respectively.

Haiti Gang Attack Death Toll Reaches 70

The Collective Defending Human Rights group described the incident as a “massacre,” stating that nearly 6,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes. The group criticized local authorities for a lack of security response and failure to protect the region.

A spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack, noting that reported death toll estimates varied widely, ranging from 10 to 80 victims. The spokesman called for a full investigation, underscoring the gravity of the security situation faced by the Haitian population.

What do we know about the attack?

Armed members of the Gran Grif gang carried out the assault in the Jean-Denis area around 3 a.m. on Sunday, according to local civil protection officials. Artibonite, an important agricultural region, has experienced increasing violence as gang activity spreads beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The violence follows recent United Nations reports indicating that more than 2,000 people had already been displaced by similar gang raids in nearby Verrettes, causing residents of Petite-Rivière to flee as well.

In March, the United States announced a reward of up to $3 million for information on the financial operations of the Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm groups, designating both as terrorist organizations.

Haitian security forces, backed by a UN-supported international mission and a US private military contractor, have stepped up operations against gangs that control much of the capital. However, no major gang leader has yet been captured.

Since 2021, gang violence has displaced more than one million people, worsened food insecurity, and resulted in nearly 20,000 deaths across Haiti, with the toll rising each year.