Haiti continues to spiral into chaos, with more than 5,600 people killed in 2024 as gangs tighten their grip on the nation. A U.N. report released Tuesday highlights a 20% rise in killings compared to 2023, alongside over 2,200 injuries and nearly 1,500 kidnappings. Gang violence has displaced more than 700,000 people, leaving many in overcrowded, unsanitary shelters.
Volker Türk, U.N. high commissioner for human rights, described the situation as a humanitarian disaster. Among the victims were attendees of a Christmas Eve event, where gunmen killed two journalists and a police officer at the reopening of a hospital previously shuttered by gangs.
In December, over 200 people were massacred in a gang-controlled slum as retribution for a gang leader’s personal loss. The violence disproportionately affects civilians, including the elderly and children, with law enforcement also implicated in human rights abuses. Reports indicate 315 suspected gang affiliates were lynched, and police killed over 280 people in alleged extrajudicial actions.
The U.N.-backed mission in Haiti, led by 400 Kenyan police officers and supported by limited forces from Central America and the Caribbean, struggles to curb the violence. Although more nations have pledged support, the current force of 550 officers falls far short of the 2,500 initially promised. The mission’s focus includes empowering the Lebanese Armed Forces to stabilize gang-controlled regions and assist U.N. peacekeepers patrolling key areas like Port-au-Prince.
The crisis extends beyond violence. Haiti’s main airport faces ongoing disruptions, with Sunrise Airways suspending flights to the capital this week due to security concerns. The airport previously closed in November after gang gunfire struck three planes. Land routes are similarly unsafe, with gangs controlling main roads and targeting public transport.
Deportations add to the humanitarian strain. Despite widespread insecurity, nations like the U.S. and the Dominican Republic have deported tens of thousands of Haitians. Under President Joe Biden, over 27,800 Haitians were deported in 2024, while the Dominican Republic expelled more than 250,000 individuals. Türk urged nations to halt deportations, citing Haiti’s inability to ensure safe returns.
Food insecurity compounds the crisis. Shelters are overwhelmed, with displaced individuals relying on sporadic aid. “Every day is like darkness,” said one former moto taxi driver, now living on bread and sugar.
The worsening violence, economic collapse, and lack of government intervention paint a grim picture for Haiti’s future, as international aid remains insufficient to address the escalating crisis.
