Artibonite gang attack leaves 11 dead, 4 injured as police struggle to stop carnage

GONAÏVES — Eleven people were killed and four others wounded when the gang “Kokorat San Ras” launched an attack on residents in Grépin and Campêche, two rural localities in the Rivière Blanche section of Gros-Morne—about 111 miles north of Port-au-Prince. The bandits also set several homes on fire. The Jan. 18 killing spree is the latest in a series of violent episodes in Haiti’s Artibonite region, underscoring the National Police’s inability to combat armed gangs and control the escalating violence in the area—despite the support of the Kenya-led multinational mission (MSS).

The mayor of Gros-Morne, Hubert Ceneac confirmed the attack and expressed outrage over the unrelenting violence. He is calling for a more substantial police presence in the commune, which has been under repeated attacks from the Kokorat San Ras gang in recent months.

“We urgently need a stronger police presence to protect our residents,” Ceneac told The Haitian Times.  

“These ongoing assaults are devastating our community. People are just trying to live their lives, but they’re losing them.”

According to Ceneac, some of the victims were attending a traditional ritual ceremony as part of their spiritual practice in the commune’s cemetery, while others were quietly at home. Unaware of the looming threat, these individuals fell victim to the gang attack, leaving their families grieving in the aftermath.

According to a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the press, the attack was in retaliation for the police seizure of a truck belonging to members of the notorious gang group Kokorat San Ras. The vehicle allegedly struck a child in Gros-Morne, prompting authorities to impound it.

“The gang retaliated by massacring innocent residents,” the source said. 

A history of terror in Artibonite

Gang violence has long plagued the Artibonite region, with the most terrifying criminal groups, Kokorat San Ras, Gran Grif and others, frequently targeting civilians. In June, a gang from the Ti Bwadòm locality stormed two communal sections in Gros-Morne, leaving 11 dead, including a pregnant woman and setting at least eight homes on fire. The gang also abducted a school principal, who was later executed en route. In August, members of Kokorat San Ras marched through Gros-Morne, killing at least 10 people, kidnapping three others, including a 5-year-old girl and setting several homes and farms ablaze. Residents in other communes, such as Terre-Neuve, had also been attacked. 

The Savien gang, also known as Gran Grif, has similarly left a trail of devastation. In December, armed bandits from the gang unleashed a wave of terror in the Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite commune, killing more than 20 people, including women and children. In October, they massacred over 70 people in Pont-Sondé, many of whom were killed in their beds during the attack. Police forces eventually repelled the gang, though residents remain on edge.

More recently, Gran Grif’s leader, Luckson Elan, has been sanctioned by the United States for his involvement in human rights violations and gang activities, underscoring the dire security situation in Artibonite.

Despite interventions by the PNH and Kenyan forces from the multinational mission, security remains elusive. While recent efforts have led to the recapture of the region’s Liancourt police station, gangs continue to terrorize residents, as seen in this month’s attack. 

Humanitarian toll  and a plea for help

The ongoing violence has displaced thousands of residents and exacerbated food insecurity. Farmers are unable to access their fields in the communes affected by the violence, and families who fled previous attacks now live in makeshift shelters. In Gros-Morne, residents have protested in the streets, demanding action from authorities.

As Gros-Morne mourns its latest victims, calls for justice and immediate intervention grow louder. Residents and officials alike demand not only an increased police presence but also long-term solutions to restore stability in the region.

“We can’t keep living like this,” said Mayor Ceneac. “The people of Gros-Morne deserve peace and security.”

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