The Haiti Kenscoff massacre left at least 164 people dead, more than 70 kidnapped and dozens missing, according to a new report from Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network.
The group based its investigation on interviews with judges, police officials, armed civilians, a former police station chief and more than 100 victims and relatives. It described the report as a detailed account of the gang attacks on Kenscoff, a farming community near Port-au-Prince.
The report, released Wednesday, argues that stronger security could have reduced or prevented some of the killings. It also points to warnings that officials allegedly failed to act on before the attacks.
Security presence fell before attacks
According to the rights group, security in Kenscoff fell by about 60%. Soldiers and specialized police units deployed after an earlier January 2025 attack later left the area.
The group said officials never provided a clear explanation for that withdrawal. It also said the former head of the Kenscoff police station requested two additional armored vehicles before the latest violence. The request allegedly received no response.
The report says an armored vehicle also left the area shortly before the massacre because of personnel shortages. The group argued that the move created another gap in the town’s defenses.
Haiti’s National Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the report published by The Associated Press.
Gangs used drones and roadblocks
The investigation identified several warning signs before the major attack.
The rights group said armed gang members used surveillance drones to monitor police movements. It also reported that scouts entered the area and studied roads and possible threats.
Roadblocks provided another warning. According to the report, attackers used tree trunks to block roads hours before the killings began.
The group said one 21-year-old man became an early victim after armed men forced him to help block a road. They later shot him in the head.
The attackers eventually entered Kenscoff after carrying out smaller operations that allegedly drew police away from key positions.
Children and elderly people among victims
The report describes severe violence against civilians.
Nearly two dozen victims were between 65 and 90 years old. The dead also included 36 women and seven children, including a 4-year-old child.
The victims included farmers, two pastors and a school principal. The report said the principal was beheaded.
It also documented attacks on people who had sought shelter in a school and a church. According to the investigation, armed groups used some victims’ bodies as barricades during clashes with police and civilians.
The report also described extreme violence against a man who worked at the Kenscoff police station.
Rights group questions police response
The National Human Rights Defense Network accused senior police officials of failing to respond adequately to the warnings.
It also questioned the limited visible role of a U.N.-backed force created to help Haiti combat armed gangs. The force said in late August that it was helping relieve Haitian police in some areas so officers could reinforce Kenscoff.
The rights group called for financial, medical and psychological support for survivors and relatives of those killed or kidnapped.
Meanwhile, the threat has not disappeared. Kenscoff’s mayor said this week that drones continue to fly over the community. He also warned about threatening videos and messages appearing online.
The latest report therefore raises fresh questions about whether authorities can protect Kenscoff residents as gang violence continues to threaten communities around Port-au-Prince.
