Violence flares in Haiti as gang attack kills 30 people

Island nation grapples with violence as it seeks to hold first elections in more than a decade.Published On 24 Aug 202624 Aug 2026At least 30 people have been killed as a new wave of violence grips Haiti.A powerful gang coalition mounted the deadly attack on a farming community in Kenscoff, south of the capital, Port-au-Prince, late on Sunday, officials reported. The flare-up in violence comes as Haiti hopes to hold its first general election in more than a decade.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Haiti’s PM casts doubt on presidential vote by August as gang clashes growlist 2 of 3Hundreds more displaced as gang violence escalates in Haiti’s capitallist 3 of 3Photos: Gang violence displaces hundreds in Haiti’s capitalend of listJean Massillon, Kenscoff’s mayor, said armed men “sowed chaos” as they set homes on fire and killed residents.He said gang members targeted a church and homes, including that of Jean William Pape, a leading public health expert.Massillon blamed the attack on members of Viv Ansanm, a group that was designated as a “foreign terrorist organisation” by the United States government last year.Gangs control an estimated 70 percent of Port-au-Prince. Viv...