More than 5,000 people killed or injured in Haiti due to gang violence this year, UN says

More than 5,700 people have been killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September 2026, the United Nations has said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk added that more than 230 people have also been kidnapped.

An estimated 1,000 women and girls have been raped - but Türk noted that the actual figure is "likely much higher".

Gangs have been exerting varying degrees of power in Haiti for decades. The most recent widespread outbreak of gang violence has been fuelled by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021.

In an update on the situation in the Caribbean nation on Friday, Türk added that more than 50% of casualties occurred in the context of security operations against gangs, with hundreds struck "by stray bullets and explosive drones".

Gang violence had already been rampant under Moïse, but the power vacuum created by his murder allowed violent groups to seize more territory and become more influential.

Türk said gangs "continue to adapt and expand", with evidence collected by the UN pointing at "a strategy of seizing new territory and key transport routes, threatening stability".

The number of executions carried out by specialised police units dropped in recent months, he said, but people allegedly associated with gangs continue to face a high risk of summary executions.

The high commissioner added that recruitment of children into gangs has "nearly tripled", as to 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.

Haiti is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on 13 December.

However, Türk said that it is "hard to imagine the conditions to hold a credible election could be met this year", given the current situation.

A multinational police force has been operating in Haiti since 2025 to to tackle escalating gang violence in the conflict-torn country but it has struggled to even enter areas where gangs hold sway.