More than 5,600 people killed, nearly 1,500 kidnapped in Haiti in 2024: UN

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

The United Nations said more than 5,600 people were killed and nearly 1,500 were kidnapped in Haiti last year. The deaths reported on Tuesday, Jan. 7, mark a more than 20% increase from 2023 as a U.N.-backed security mission struggles to quell gang violence.

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One of the worst gang massacres in recent history occurred in December 2024. Officials said more than 200 people were murdered after a gang leader ordered their executions over allegations of witchcraft.

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The U.N. said 315 gang members or people allegedly associated with gangs were hanged by law enforcement or locals, and another nearly 300 were killed in “alleged summary executions” at the hands of police officers.

Gang violence has reportedly forced more than 700,000 Haitians to flee their homes in recent years, with many staying in unsanitary makeshift shelters.

Most Haitians are unable to leave the country because all commercial flights have been halted. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recently extended a ban on commercial flights into Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince until at least March 12 after gangs hit several commercial jets with gunfire in November 2024.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for more money and international help for a thinly stretched multinational security force led by Kenya to help bring Port-au-Prince back under control.

Currently, gangs reportedly control around 85% of the Haitian capital.

Around 550 international police officers are involved in the security mission backed by the U.N. However, those numbers are far below the 2,500 officers promised.

Turk also recommended the U.N. continue its arms embargo against Haiti to keep them from getting “in the hands” of gang members.

In addition to the deaths in 2024, the U.N. said more than 2,200 were injured in Haiti last year.

Tags: Crime, Death, Executions, Gang Violence, Haiti, Haitian migrants, Homicide, Human Rights, Kenya, kidnapping, Murder, Police, Police officers, Police violence, Port-Au-Prince, United Nations

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE U-N SAYS MORE THAN 56-HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND NEARLY 15-HUNDRED KIDNAPPED IN HAITI LAST YEAR.

THE DEATHS MARK A MORE THAN 20 PERCENT INCREASE FROM 2023 AS A U-N-BACKED SECURITY MISSION STRUGGLES TO QUELL GANG VIOLENCE.

ONE THE WORST GANG MASSACRES IN RECENT HISTORY OCCURRED IN DECEMBER.

MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED AFTER A GANG LEADER ORDERED THEIR EXECUTIONS OVER ALLEGATIONS OF WITCHCRAFT.

THE U-N SAYS 315 GANG MEMBERS OR PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH GANGS WERE HANGED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR LOCALS AND ANOTHER NEARLY 300 WERE KILLED IN SUMMARY EXECUTIONS AT THE HANDS OF POLICE.

GANG VIOLENCE HAS REPORTEDLY FORCED MORE THAN 700-THOUSAND HAITIANS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES IN RECENT YEARS WITH MANY STAYING IN UNSANITARY-MAKESHIFT-SHELTERS.

MOST HAITIANS ARE UNABLE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY BECAUSE ALL COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN HALTED.

THE U-S RECENTLY EXTENDED A BAN ON COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS INTO HAITI’S CAPITAL UNTIL AT LEAST MARCH 12TH AFTER GANGS HIT SEVERAL COMMERCIAL JETS WITH GUNFIRE IN NOVEMBER.

THE U-N HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IS CALLING FOR MORE MONEY AND INTERNATIONAL HELP FOR A THINLY STRETCHED MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY FORCE LED BY KENYA TO HELP BRING PORT-AU-PRINCE BACK UNDER CONTROL.

CURRENTLY, GANGS CONTROL AROUND 85 PERCENT OF THE HAITIAN CAPITAL.

AROUND 550 INTERNATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED IN THE MISSION BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE FAR BELOW THE 25-HUNDRED OFFICERS PROMISED.

THE U-N COMMISSIONER ALSO RECOMMENDS THE U-N CONTINUE ITS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST HAITI TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING “IN THE HANDS” OF GANGS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.