Gang Violence in Haiti: 110 Elders Brutally Killed Over Alleged Witchcraft
At least 110 people, primarily elderly residents, have been killed in a brutal massacre by gang members in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The killings were reportedly ordered by a gang leader after the death of his son, who he believed was a victim of witchcraft.
Targeted Killings Fueled by Superstition
The National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH) reported that the killings began after the gang leader consulted a voodoo priest, who claimed elderly residents practicing “witchcraft” were responsible for his son’s mysterious illness and death. Victims, mostly over 60 years old, were dragged from their homes in the Wharf Jérémie area, a gang-controlled neighborhood in Cité Soleil. Witnesses recounted horrifying scenes of mutilated bodies burned in the streets.
Wider Gang Violence and a Growing Death Toll
United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk revealed that 184 people were killed in Haiti over the weekend, with 110 of these deaths attributed to the massacre in Cité Soleil. This brings the total number of gang-related killings in Haiti this year to over 5,000.
The area where the massacre occurred is controlled by gang leader Monel Felix, also known as Mikano, who oversees the Wharf Jérémie region—a strategic yet inaccessible part of the capital. Mikano’s gang, part of the Viv Ansanm alliance, has been terrorizing residents and preventing them from escaping the area, further delaying news of the massacre.
A Nation in Crisis
Haiti has been plagued by escalating gang violence since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Gangs now control an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince and significant parts of the countryside, displacing over 700,000 people. Many of the displaced face sexual violence, including gang rapes, which are used as a tool of terror by armed groups.
Efforts to curb the violence, including a Kenyan-led international security mission, have so far yielded little success. Limited funding and inadequate resources have hindered progress, leaving Haiti’s already overwhelmed police force unable to confront the heavily armed gangs.
Political Instability Compounds the Crisis
Meanwhile, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), established to restore democratic order, has made little progress in organizing elections. Internal disputes and a lack of leadership have left the nation in a political deadlock, further exacerbating the crisis.
This latest massacre highlights the urgent need for international support to address Haiti’s spiraling violence and restore stability to the beleaguered nation.
