At least 70 people have been killed and 30 injured during an attack near Petite-Riviere in Haiti’s breadbasket Artibonite region, a human rights group said, significantly higher than official estimates, which put the death toll at approximately 16.
Residents and officials told local media that the attack began in the early hours of Sunday in rural communities around Jean-Denis, and continued into the early hours of Monday, with gang members storming the area and setting homes on fire.
The Defenseurs Plus rights group said it estimated that 6,000 people had been displaced by the violence. The United Nations estimated that more than 2,000 people had left their homes in the days before, following raids by armed gangs nearby.
The Artibonite region, a key agricultural area, has seen some of Haiti’s worst violence. Gang conflict has extended beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince, despite more aggressive policing and promises of more foreign support for Haiti’s security forces.
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At least 70 Killed, 30 Wounded in Haiti Gang Attack, Rights Group Says
03/31/2026
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