Crime & Justice

Kenscoff attack displaces 3,000, including 721 children, as victims remain in limbo | PHOTOS

today2025-02-10

Kenscoff attack displaces 3,000, including 721 children, as victims remain in limbo | PHOTOS
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PORT-AU-PRINCE — Thousands of residents from Kenscoff’s Belot and Godet communities are in limbo after a violent gang assault on Jan. 28 left 50 dead, 11 injured, and 3,000 displaced, including 721 children.

More than Ten days after the attack, many survivors remain in makeshift shelters, including Furcy National School, Lycée Jean Paul II, and the Kenscoff mayor’s office, which now houses 223 families.

A night of terror in Belot and Godet

The attack saw heavily armed gang members storm homes, opening fire on civilians before setting houses ablaze. An entire family of eight was murdered, while others managed to flee into the mountains or seek refuge in Pétion-Ville’s public squares.

Despite prior security measures by local authorities, gangs managed to seize control of key routes, particularly an alternative passage connecting the West and Southeast departments—a crucial lifeline for travelers avoiding gang-controlled National Road #2 via Martissant and Carrefour.

Gangs target Kenscoff’s strategic location

Located less than eight miles from Pétion-Ville, Kenscoff’s mountainous terrain has historically served as a safe alternative route for residents and traders. However, gangs have intensified efforts to control the area, cutting off yet another critical passage for those seeking to escape violence in Port-au-Prince.

Here is a display of photos that offer a glimpse into the daily lives of thousands of displaced residents following the January 28 attack

A frightened infant sits on a pile of wood at the Kenscoff mayor’s office, now serving as a shelter for those displaced by gang attacks. The violence forced around 3,000 residents to flee, including 721 children—358 girls and 363 boys. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times, Feb. 5, 2025.
People forced to flee their homes by gangs seek refuge at the Kenscoff mayor’s office. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
People displaced by gang violence take shelter at the Kenscoff mayor’s office. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
Displaced Kenscoff residents, including children forced from their homes after the Jan. 28 gang attack, receive food at the Kenscoff mayor’s office, now a shelter for those fleeing violence. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
Displaced Kenscoff residents, including children forced from their homes after the Jan. 28 gang attack, receive food at the Kenscoff mayor’s office, now a shelter for those fleeing violence. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
Displaced residents of Kenscoff line up in the courtyard of the mayor’s office to receive food on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
A displaced resident washes his hands using a makeshift water dispenser. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
National police forces, including PNH unit UDMO and Kenyan officers, patrol Furcy in the Kenscoff municipality on Feb. 5, 2025, to prevent gangs from advancing further. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.
A police officer from the Haitian National Police unit UDMO and a Kenyan officer point toward gang movements in the Furcy area on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times.

The post Kenscoff attack displaces 3,000, including 721 children, as victims remain in limbo | PHOTOS appeared first on The Haitian Times.


Kenscoff attack displaces 3,000, including 721 children, as victims remain in limbo | PHOTOS was first posted on February 10, 2025 at 4:18 pm.

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