UN says more than 5,700 killed or injured in Haiti gang violence

More than 5,700 people were killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them in Haiti between 1 January and 11 September 2026, the United Nations has said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also reported that more than 230 people were kidnapped during the same period.

How many women and children were affected?

Türk said an estimated 1,000 women and girls were raped, a figure he described as “likely much higher” than the number recorded. He added that the recruitment of children into gangs has “nearly tripled”, noting that for many minors joining a gang “can be the only mean of survival”.

“No child should be forced to choose between their lives and the security of their neighbours,” Türk said.

Where did the killings and injuries happen?

More than 50% of the casualties occurred during security operations against gangs, with hundreds of people hit “by stray bullets and explosive drones”, according to Türk’s update. The figures were published in his update on Haiti issued on Friday. Executions carried out by specialised police units fell in recent months, he said, but people allegedly associated with gangs remain at high risk of summary executions.

What is fuelling the gang violence in Haiti?

Gangs have wielded varying degrees of power in Haiti for decades, and the most recent widespread outbreak was fuelled by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021. Gang violence was already widespread under Moïse, but the power vacuum left by his murder allowed armed groups to seize more territory and gain influence. Türk said the gangs “continue to adapt and expand”, pointing to UN evidence of “a strategy of seizing new territory and key transport routes, threatening stability”.

Will Haiti hold elections in December?

Haiti is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on 13 December. Türk said it is “hard to imagine the conditions to hold a credible election could be met this year”, given the security situation. A multinational police force has operated in Haiti since 2025 to tackle gang violence, but it has struggled to enter areas where gangs hold sway.

How has the crisis affected Haitians abroad?

Haitians outside the country have also been affected: in the United States, Haitian caregivers lost their work permits as Temporary Protected Status expired, and a Haitian accused of attacking US immigration agents was placed under a three-month coercive measure.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were killed or injured in Haiti’s gang violence in 2026?

The United Nations recorded more than 5,700 people killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them in Haiti between 1 January and 11 September 2026, plus more than 230 kidnappings.

Will Haiti hold elections in December 2026?

Haiti is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on 13 December. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said it is “hard to imagine the conditions to hold a credible election could be met this year”.

What did the UN say about child recruitment by gangs in Haiti?

Volker Türk said the recruitment of children into Haitian gangs has “nearly tripled”, and that for many minors joining a gang “can be the only mean of survival”.

What caused the recent surge in gang violence in Haiti?

Gangs have held varying degrees of power in Haiti for decades. The most recent widespread outbreak was fuelled by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021, whose murder created a power vacuum that let armed groups seize more territory.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)