United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned a gang attack in northern Haiti that left at least 11 people dead and several others injured, as violence continues to spread across the country.
The attack occurred Monday in the third communal section of Gros-Morne, where civilians were caught in violence linked to an operation involving the Kokorat San Ras armed gang and the Gang Suppression Force (GSF). Among those killed were four members of the same family who were transporting a sick woman to hospital when they became caught in the crossfire. Three suspected gang members were also reportedly killed.
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According to local officials, the violence followed a confrontation between the gang and a Sri Lankan contingent of the GSF in the nearby Savane Longue communal section. Security forces had entered the area to clear a section of the national road connecting Haiti’s Northwest and Artibonite departments, where the gang had established a checkpoint and was allegedly extorting motorists and passengers.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres condemned the attack and warned that it demonstrated the continuing toll of gang violence on Haitians living in areas controlled or influenced by armed groups. He also stressed the urgency of strengthening security efforts, including the full deployment of the GSF in support of the Haitian National Police.
The condemnation came a day after the UN Security Council extended the GSF’s mandate for another six months, through March 31, 2027. The council approved the renewal by a 12-0 vote, with China, Russia and Pakistan abstaining. The force was established to support Haitian authorities in confronting armed gangs, protecting critical infrastructure and creating conditions for elections.
The force is intended to have about 5,500 personnel, but only around 1,500 had been deployed as of the latest reporting. The Security Council has called for the remaining personnel to be deployed, while the Haitian government has pressed for additional personnel, equipment and logistical support.
Dujarric said the UN Human Rights Office had recorded more than 3,000 killings in Haiti between January and June 2026. He also said humanitarian needs continue to exceed available resources, with UN agencies and partners providing food, healthcare, psychosocial assistance and emergency cash support.
The latest killings add to a series of deadly gang attacks this year, including an August assault in Kenscoff that left at least 47 people dead and more than 50 kidnapped. The continuing violence comes as Haiti prepares for presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December, with international officials stressing that improved security will be essential to creating conditions for a credible electoral process.
