Armed groups in Haiti are adapting to intensified security operations, stepping up reprisals against civilians and extending their reach into rural areas, the UN warned the Security Council on Monday.
The briefing came two weeks after presidential and legislative elections planned for 13 December were postponed indefinitely, with the UN's top official in the country cautioning against setting new dates without a realistic assessment of whether a vote can be held.
Key points
- 1,123 Haitians were killed and 440 injured in gang-related violence between July and early October
- Sexual violence remains widespread, with 689 women and girls reportedly raped by gang members in July and August
- The Security Council-authorised Gang Suppression Force is not yet fully deployed
Changing tactics
In Haiti, security forces are intensifying their operations, but the gangs are not giving up. They are adapting their tactics, increasing reprisals against civilians and spreading violence to rural areas, according to the Secretary-General's latest report.
"What is particularly worrying is the gangs' ability to adapt their tactics as security operations intensify," said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN's top official in Haiti.
Armed groups are increasingly resorting to hostage-taking, intimidation and reprisals against civilians to maintain their territory and challenge state authority.
Deadly attacks
The attack carried out on 23 and 24 August in Kenscoff, a mountainous town southeast of the capital, Port-au-Prince, illustrates this strategy.
At least 47 people were killed, 22 wounded, and 52 taken hostage, 13 of whom were later freed thanks to local initiatives supported by the UN.
In the West and Artibonite departments, 241 people were killed for allegedly resisting gangs.
Other attacks - notably in Saint-Michel-de-l'Atalaye, Marigot, and Léogâne - indicate a spread of violence into rural areas. Armed groups are also targeting farmland, homes and public infrastructure.
Security force operations also contribute to the rising death toll. They account for 52 per cent of Haitians killed or wounded since the beginning of July, or 808 people, including 148 not associated with gangs.
GSF a work in progress
Faced with this violence, the Security Council -backed Gang Suppression Force, logistically supported by the UN, is continuing its deployment.
As of 12 October, it had 1,563 uniformed members, far fewer than the 5,550 authorised by the Security Council. It has notably established a base in the Artibonite region, beyond the capital.
But, armed groups retain the capacity to retaliate.
On Sunday, an armoured vehicle transporting Salvadoran soldiers from the force was attacked in Croix-des-Bouquets, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. Four soldiers were still missing on Monday, according to media reports.
Power vacuum
For Mr. Ruiz Massieu, retaking territory will not be enough.
"Experience has shown that security operations alone cannot bring about lasting stabilisation," he warned, calling for the permanent restoration of the State's presence and the development of disarmament and reintegration programmes, particularly for children recruited by gangs.
This persistent insecurity also jeopardises the return to democracy, he said.
Presidential and legislative elections, initially scheduled for 13 December, have been postponed indefinitely. Haiti has not held national elections since 2016.
Nevertheless, preparations are ongoing. More than 35 political parties and groups, and 3,500 candidates have registered, according to Mr. Ruiz Massieu. As of 5 October, however, only 759,257 potential voters were on the lists, out of an estimated electorate of 6.5 million people. Insecurity and mass displacement are further complicating the organization of the election.
"Setting new dates for elections without a realistic assessment of their feasibility will only erode public confidence and the credibility of Haitian institutions," he warned.
Humanitarian crisis
Adding to this political uncertainty is a humanitarian crisis.
Nearly 1.5 million people have fled their homes, including more than 740,000 children.
The economy is expected to contract for the seventh consecutive year, while the UN's 2026 humanitarian plan is only about half funded.
The country thus remains faced with a dual emergency: restoring security essential for holding elections, without which a return to democratic institutions remains out of reach.
