At Least 110 Killed in Haiti Massacre Blamed on Gang Leader’s Vendetta

A brutal weekend massacre in Cite Soleil, one of Haiti’s poorest and most violent neighborhoods, has left at least 110 people dead, Al Jazeera reports, citing the National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH).

The human rights group blames the killings on gang leader Monel “Mikano” Felix, who allegedly ordered the slaughter following the death of his child.

RNDDH reports that Felix, leader of the Wharf Jeremie gang, consulted a Voodoo priest after his child fell ill. The priest reportedly accused elderly residents of using witchcraft against the child, who died Saturday afternoon. Following the consultation, gang members, armed with machetes and knives, carried out the massacre, killing at least 60 people on Friday and 50 on Saturday. All victims were over the age of 60, according to RNDDH.

Cite Soleil’s densely populated slums and tight gang control, including restrictions on mobile phone use, have hampered residents’ ability to report the killings and share information. The UN estimated in October that Felix’s gang numbers around 300, operating in the areas surrounding Fort Dimanche and La Saline. La Saline was the scene of a similar massacre in November 2018, claiming at least 71 civilian lives and resulting in hundreds of homes being burned.

The Haitian government, grappling with political instability and a surge in gang violence, has struggled to contain the escalating crisis. A request for international security support in 2022 led to a partially deployed UN mission in 2023, but severe under-resourcing has hampered its effectiveness. Haitian leaders have since called for the mission to be upgraded to a UN peacekeeping force, a proposal currently stalled due to opposition from China and Russia in the Security Council.

The ongoing violence has had a devastating impact on the Haitian population. The UN reports over 4,500 killings so far this year, with an estimated 41,000 people displaced in the last two weeks alone, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The IOM further estimates that over 700,000 people are currently displaced within Haiti due to the conflict.