Haiti Gang Violence Killed 613 Around the Capital in Five Months, the UN Says
HAITI · SECURITY
Key Facts
—What happened: The UN counted at least 613 killed and 375 injured around Port-au-Prince between March 6 and July 31.
—Who the victims were: The dead included 111 women and 77 children with no ties to gangs, the United Nations says.
—The real story: Haiti gang violence near the capital is back at levels last seen in early 2024, months before elections.
—The catch: The count covers only two districts, so the true national toll is far higher.
—Who it hits: Doctors Without Borders closed a Cité Soleil maternity hospital after treating 27 gunshot patients in under 24 hours.
—What comes next: Haiti votes on December 13, and a new Gang Suppression Force plans to deploy in Cité Soleil and Artibonite.
At least 613 people were killed and 375 injured in gang clashes around Port-au-Prince between early March and the end of July, the United Nations said in an August report. The same weeks saw Doctors Without Borders suspend a maternity hospital in Cité Soleil, the starkest sign yet of how Haiti gang violence now reaches into basic care.
What the UN counted around the capital
The report comes from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known by its French acronym BINUH. It covers the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac and Cité Soleil, two of the areas hardest hit by Haiti gang violence this year.
Between March 6 and July 31, at least 613 people were killed and 375 injured there. Most died in clashes between gangs fighting for territory.
The victims included 111 women and 77 children who had no links to armed groups. More than 18,000 people fled their homes in the same two districts.
The report also records at least 176 women and girls raped by gang members. The United Nations says the real figures are likely higher.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for Haiti, called the human toll particularly heavy. He said that part of the capital had not seen this level of gang fighting and abuse since January and February 2024.
A maternity hospital forced to close again
Haiti gang violence has a direct cost for health care. On August 8, Doctors Without Borders said it was suspending activities at the Isaïe Jeanty maternity hospital in Cité Soleil.
The group, known globally by its French initials MSF, had treated 27 people with gunshot wounds in under 24 hours. Those patients arrived at its facilities in Cité Soleil and Tabarre.
It was the second suspension in less than two months. MSF had resumed services only about two weeks earlier, after a three-week pause.
That earlier break began on May 11, when intense clashes forced MSF to evacuate the hospital. Its teams had treated more than 40 patients in the days around the evacuation.
The new closure leaves thousands of women without sexual and reproductive health care. Cité Soleil had very few such services even before the suspension.
Haiti gang violence beyond the capital
The crisis does not stop at the city limits. In the Artibonite region, residents reported a massacre in Gros-Morne during the weekend of August 7 and 8.
Local people told The Haitian Times that at least a dozen people were killed. The commune’s mayor, Hubert Cénéac, confirmed that the attack happened in a remote community.
On August 9, members of a gang called Taliban, from the Canaan area, attacked the town of Arcahaie about 50 kilometres north of the capital. At least one truck driver was killed, according to local reports.
Rights monitors paint a wider picture. The National Human Rights Defense Network, a Haitian group known as RNDDH, documented at least 10 gang massacres in the first half of 2026.
More than 2,000 people died in those incidents, the group said. It added that the government’s security response had failed to produce meaningful improvements.
Elections under a security cloud
This wave of Haiti gang violence lands three months before a historic vote. Haiti is scheduled to hold presidential and legislative elections on December 13, its first national vote in a decade.
Local elections and a possible runoff are set for February 21, 2027. Whether polling stations can open safely is now the central question.
Armed groups control major roads and large parts of the capital. Around 1.4 million people across Haiti remain displaced, and many do not know when they can go home.
The government’s answer is a new Gang Suppression Force, or GSF. It has announced plans to deploy in Cité Soleil and Artibonite.
The GSF builds on the Kenya-led security mission that has operated in Haiti since 2024. Its troop strength and funding, however, remain open questions.
What to watch from here
The first marker is whether MSF can reopen the Isaïe Jeanty hospital. Each suspension leaves the mothers of Cité Soleil with nowhere safe to give birth.
The second is the promised GSF deployment. A force that arrives late or under-equipped will not change the map before December.
The third is the electoral calendar itself. Postponing the vote would deepen Haiti’s institutional vacuum, but holding it amid Haiti gang violence could exclude whole districts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the UN report say about Haiti gang violence?
At least 613 people were killed and 375 injured in the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac and Cité Soleil between March 6 and July 31. The victims included 111 women and 77 children with no gang ties.
Why did Doctors Without Borders suspend work in Cité Soleil?
MSF suspended activities at the Isaïe Jeanty maternity hospital after treating 27 gunshot patients in less than 24 hours. It was the second suspension in under two months.
How many people are displaced in Haiti?
Around 1.4 million people are displaced nationwide. More than 18,000 fled the two districts covered by the UN report alone.
When are Haiti’s elections?
Presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for December 13, 2026. Local elections and a possible runoff are planned for February 21, 2027.
What is the Gang Suppression Force?
The GSF is a new internationally backed force created to fight Haiti’s gangs. It has announced deployments in Cité Soleil and Artibonite ahead of the December vote.
Connected Coverage
We reported the August 24 massacre in Haiti Gang Attack Kills at Least 47 in Kenscoff Church Shelter and the hostage standoff that followed in Haiti Loses Ground in Kenscoff as Gangs Hold Dozens Hostage. The vote at stake is the one we covered in Haiti December Election Set as First Vote in a Decade.
Sources: United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) report via ReliefWeb; Doctors Without Borders (MSF) statements; The Haitian Times.
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