Gang Violence Kills Nearly 5,000 Across Haiti in Nine Months

A United Nations report reveals that nearly 5,000 people have been killed in Haiti from October 2024 to June 2025 due to escalating gang violence, which is spreading beyond Port-au-Prince into the Centre and Artibonite regions. The report highlights gangs' efforts to control critical transportation routes connecting the capital to northern Haiti and the Dominican Republic border, raising concerns about increased transnational trafficking of weapons and people. Human rights abuses are worsening in areas where the Haitian state has limited presence, with civilians caught between violent gangs, security forces, and self-defense groups. The UN calls for stronger international support to bolster Haiti's police force, including backing the Kenya-led security mission, and tighter regulation of firearm sales to the country. The violence has displaced over 1.3 million Haitians, contributing to severe food insecurity and famine-like conditions in parts of the country. The UN warns that the spread of gang control poses a serious threat not only to Haiti's stability but also to the wider Caribbean region.