Rights Group Says 164 Killed in Two Kenscoff Gang Attacks, Blames Police Passivity

The National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) released a report on September 16, 2026, widely covered September 17-18, consolidating the toll of two separate gang attacks on Kenscoff — an early-July 2026 assault RNDDH found showed little evidence of advance planning, and the August 23-24, 2026 church-compound massacre that showed extensive premeditation, including gang scouts using surveillance drones to track security-force movements beforehand. Combined, RNDDH counted at least 164 people killed, 23 injured, 71 kidnapped (including documented sexual violence, among them the rape of a 12-year-old girl), and dozens still missing; victims included nearly two dozen elderly residents (65-90), 36 women, and seven children, one as young as 4. The report, built on interviews with judges, police officials, an armed civilian self-defense member, the former head of the Kenscoff police station, and more than 100 victims and relatives, faults police for 'passivity' and senior officers for 'disdainful disinterest' toward protecting residents, saying 'timely strengthening' of security could have prevented or limited the killings. It documents that specialized police units assigned to Kenscoff after an earlier January 2025 attack were withdrawn by roughly 60% during 2026, that an armored vehicle was pulled from Kafou Malè days before the August assault for lack of personnel, and that a July 27, 2026 request from the local police chief for additional armored vehicles and operational support went unanswered. A Haiti National Police spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.