Gang Violence Escalates in Haiti's Central Region

U.N. report reveals over 1,690 deaths, 1,118 kidnappings, and 22,000 displaced persons in Lower Artibonite from January 2022 to October 2023.

Gang violence in Haiti's rural central region, Lower Artibonite, has resulted in over 1,690 deaths and more than 1,118 kidnappings from January 2022 to October 2023.
The violence has forced 22,000 people to flee their homes, over half of them children.
Gangs have stolen crops and livestock, leading to the loss of nearly 12,000 acres of crops and putting nearly half of Artibonite’s 1.7 million population at risk of starvation.
A delay in the deployment of a Kenya-led foreign armed force, approved by the U.N. Security Council, is causing concern.
The U.N. report suggests that the gangs are backed by powerful political and economic players, who use them to create instability and control sectors of the economy.