Staff Reports
Another brutal chapter in Haiti’s collapse played out this weekend when armed gangs stormed the hillside town of Kenscoff and carried out a massacre inside a church sheltering displaced people. Dozens are dead, scores wounded, and a gang leader posted a hostage video threatening executions if security forces intervene. This is not a crime wave — it is an open challenge to any semblance of state authority.
Night of terror in Kenscoff: what we know
Local officials and U.N. monitors report roughly 40 to 47 people killed and many more wounded after gunmen attacked homes and a displaced‑persons camp inside a church. Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon called it “a night of terror.” Survivors say some victims were executed inside the compound. The scene was not chaos alone but cruelty: a video surfaced in which Johnson “Izo 2” Andre shows nearly 20 hostages, including children, and threatens to kill them if his fighters are harmed. Those facts are grim and plain.
Who did this: Viv Ansanm and the 5 Segonn gang
The assault is being linked to the Viv Ansanm gang coalition. Johnson “Izo 2” Andre leads the 5 Segonn group inside that network, and other reports point to coordination with forces tied to Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier. Kenscoff matters because it overlooks Port‑au‑Prince and gives gangs access to key routes and neighborhoods. That is why the area has been targeted again and again. This is not random violence — it’s strategic, brutal, and meant to show who runs the place.
Official responses: words, reinforcements, and the hard job of restoring order
The Prime Minister’s office issued a condemnation and said security reinforcements were being sent to Kenscoff. U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres also condemned the attack and warned about Haiti’s worsening security. Fine — condolences and reinforcements are necessary. But they are not enough. Gangs post hostage videos and execute civilians while security forces scramble. If the state cannot hold towns or protect a church full of displaced people, the talk about “neutralizing” armed groups will sound hollow to the victims.
What must happen next: action, not platitudes
Haiti needs immediate, concrete steps: secure corridors for civilians and aid, targeted operations to arrest and dismantle gang leaders, and international help that actually restores security on the ground — not just more statements. Cut off the gangs’ money and weapons, apply sanctions and pressure where it counts, and get humanitarian teams into safe zones. Above all, stop treating this as an abstract crisis and start acting like public safety matters. The families in Kenscoff deserve more than grief and press releases. They need the republic to show up and reclaim its streets.
