Haiti: Attack in Kenscoff signals deadly cycle of violence and displacement as gangs continue to expand territory

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, September 3, 2026 - Recent violence in Kenscoff, Haiti, resulting in 50 kidnapped and the deaths of at least 47 people, reflects an escalating, deadly pattern for civilians as gangs continue to expand their territory outside of the capital and destabilize surrounding areas, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is warning. The IRC is working with our local partner Organisation Féministe Marijàn (OFMA) to scale up critical protection services and cash assistance for communities affected by the latest violence.

Kenscoff, a rural farming community outside Haiti's gang-ruled capital of Port-au-Prince, has been attacked by armed gangs several times since 2025. Many of the over 2,600 people displaced in the latest incident have already faced displacement more than once.

"People in Kenscoff are facing a cycle of unimaginable violence-something all too common for many communities in Haiti," said Mwiti Mungania, IRC Country Director for Haiti. "The toll of losing your home, loved ones, your sense of safety, over and over again is hard to overstate. This compounding burden of repeated displacement not only makes it harder for humanitarian workers to reach those in need, it creates an atmosphere of fear that remains long after the attack ends. Every day our staff and partners hear reports of kidnapping, forced recruitment and sexual violence. This is why our protection interventions are essential, supporting people on the path back to psychological safety and stability."

Haiti is facing a crisis on multiple fronts as gang violence and displacement combine with widespread food insecurity. Over half of the population, 5.8 million people, do not have enough to eat, with inadequate rains caused by the El Niño climate pattern threatening to drive even more people into crisis levels of hunger in the coming months. The 2015-2016 El Niño event caused harvest losses of up to 70% and doubled food insecurity rates in Haiti, especially in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas like Kenscoff where gangs already restrict food supply and humanitarian access.

The IRC urges the international community to urgently scale up lifesaving assistance to people in Haiti as the security situation continues to deteriorate and El Niño looms. For Haitian refugees who have been forced to flee their home country, the IRC calls for the expansion of safe, legal protection pathways so that they are not forced to return to a country in crisis.

IRC Haiti is supporting our local partner OFMA to provide psychosocial support, safe spaces for children, and case management to affected communities in Kenscoff. These essential protection programs will prioritize survivors of gender-based violence, displaced people, and separated, unaccompanied and at-risk children. In addition, the response will include the distribution of cash assistance to help people afford basic food items. The IRC has been providing humanitarian support in Haiti since 2010, working with a strong network of civil society organizations and local actors to respond to the needs of communities affected by internal displacement and longstanding gang violence.