In Pont-Sonde, Haiti, gang members led by Gran Grif leader Luckson Elan stormed through the town, killing at least 70 people and injuring many more. The attack caused over 6,000 people to flee their homes, with many seeking shelter in nearby towns and makeshift camps. The gang set fire to homes and vehicles, creating one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in Haiti.
Prime Minister Garry Conille condemned the massacre, stating that security forces were reinforcing the area. The violence in Haiti has been escalating, with armed gangs controlling most of the capital and expanding into nearby regions, resulting in hunger and homelessness for hundreds of thousands of people.
The Gran Grif gang is known for kidnappings, rapes, murders, and other crimes in the region. Elan, the gang leader, blamed the town’s residents and the government for the attack in an audio message. The U.N. has reported a lack of progress in cases of mass killings in Haiti since 2021.
The World Food Programme has attributed spiraling food prices and shortages in Haiti to gangs extorting farmers and stealing crops. The U.N. Refugee Agency has warned of disastrous shortages in food and medical supplies due to gang blockades of humanitarian aid transport.
Despite promises of international support, Haiti has received only a fraction of the resources pledged. The U.N. has called for more support for the peacekeeping mission in Haiti. Violence in the region has resulted in over 3,600 deaths since January, with gangs largely armed with guns trafficked from the United States. Nearby countries continue to deport migrants back to Haiti, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
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