Haiti’s government knew about deadly Kenscoff gang attack but did nothing to stop it

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé revealed Thursday that the transitional government had prior intelligence about the gang attack in Kenscoff but failed to prevent it. Speaking during a visit to the National Police Directorate, Fils-Aimé expressed outrage at the police’s failure to stop the deadly invasion by the Viv Ansanm gang coalition on Jan. 27.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the Ministries of Interior and Justice had warned of the impending assault, prompting a security meeting before the attack. Despite this, the government’s law enforcement structures did not mobilize adequately and promptly to counter the threat.

“Why, despite the intelligence, was nothing done to thwart the gang’s plan?” Fils-Aimé questioned during his visit to the Haitian National Police (PNH) headquarters.

The gang assault on Kenscoff, a peaceful hilly commune located about 15 miles southeast of Port-au-Prince, left widespread destruction. Local media reported approximately 40 victims, though the exact number remains unconfirmed by the authorities.

Belot and Godet, two of the most affected areas inside the mountainous commune, saw eight members of a single family killed. Additionally, multiple houses were set ablaze, and hundreds of residents fled their homes—some seeking refuge in the mountains, at the Kenscoff Town Hall and Furcy National School. In contrast, many others flocked downtown Pétion-Ville to occupy public squares quickly.

“They killed five people from my family,” a woman recounted tearfully, balancing a bag of belongings on her head as she fled.

“They came to my house in the Tiplas area. I lost my uncle and my brother,” another survivor said. “Many people died, the bandits are hiding, and we slept in the bushes.”

Police response under fire

Despite prior warnings, local police were initially overwhelmed. In the aftermath of the attack, the PNH deployed specialized units to reinforce officers stationed in Kenscoff.

Local media reports indicate that police killed more than 20 gang members in gunfire exchanges. Authorities also seized a firearm and a communications radio. However, police have not provided an official count of casualties among the attackers.

“The state will not back down,” Fils-Aimé declared during his visit. “We will strike hard and relentlessly. No criminal will be spared.”

A strategic commune under siege

Kenscoff holds strategic importance as a link between the West and Southeast departments, offering a vital alternative route to National Road #2, which remains under gang control.

Despite security measures, including curfews and mandatory identification checks, residents were left vulnerable. Images of smoke billowing from homes and residents calling for help circulated widely on social media.

“The gangs aim to control this crucial passageway, and we need a stronger and more coordinated response,” a senior police officer told The Haitian Times.

As of Thursday, Jan. 30, the situation was still tense in Kenscoff. The police have been deployed, but communities remain on high alert. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is questioning the police’s rapid response to the gang attack in this commune of the West department, situated less than eight miles from the bustling Pétion-ville center.  

Government promises after failure to prevent the attack

Following the Kenscoff massacre, Fils-Aimé vowed to equip law enforcement with more resources to dismantle armed groups in their strongholds.

“The state rises. The state strikes. The state will triumph,” he asserted.

Fils-Aimé announced an urgent meeting with the Police Directorate to strategize enhanced security measures and intensify police actions.

“It is imperative to restore confidence, strengthen coordination among security forces, and neutralize those who spread terror,” he emphasized.

A nation tormented by gang violence

The Kenscoff tragedy is part of a broader pattern of gang violence that has gripped Haiti. In 2024, over 5,600 people were killed, and over 700,000 fled their homes, pushing the number of displaced across the country to more than one million, according to the United Nations.

Before the Kenscoff attack, gang violence had devastated areas like Tabarre, Solino, Cité Soleil and the Artibonite region, despite the increased presence of the PNH and reinforcements from the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission led by Kenyan officers.

In Ward Jérémie, Cité Soleil, for instance, an attack led by notorious gang leader Micanor Altès in early December left 270 dead, according to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). In Tabarre and rundown Solino communities, many residents also lost their lives during the same period.  

In Pont-Sondé, the Gran Grif gang murdered over 70 people, some while they slept, adding to the death toll in Terre-Neuve and Gros-Morne communes, where thousands of others fled for their homes under the fury of Gran Drif and Kokorat San Ras, the two leading criminal groups in the Artibonite Department.

“The state can no longer afford to remain passive,” Fils-Aimé insisted. “Too many families mourn a child, a parent, a loved one, torn from life by the barbarity of these human monsters.”

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