Horrifying Massacre in Haiti: Gang-Related Murders Target Elderly

A recent report reveals that at least 110 elderly residents in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were murdered by gang members linked to a local leader's suspicion of witchcraft after his son fell ill. This marked one of the deadliest incidents in a year fraught with escalating gang violence, highlighting the dire security crisis faced by Haitians.

Haiti has once again fallen victim to gruesome gang violence, with a shocking report revealing that at least 110 elderly individuals have been brutally murdered in Port-au-Prince. According to the National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH), a local gang leader initiated the killings after attributing his son’s mysterious illness and subsequent death to alleged witchcraft practiced by elderly locals.

The gang leader reportedly consulted with a voodoo priest who influenced the decision to target the elderly community in the Cité Soleil neighborhood. The United Nations has condemned the rising violence in Haiti, asserting that around 5,000 individuals have already been killed this year amid escalating gang activity. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk noted that the recent weekend saw "184 deaths orchestrated by a powerful gang leader," intensifying concerns over security in the region.

Eyewitness reports detail the horrifying process wherein gang members forcibly dragged residents over the age of 60 from their homes in the Wharf Jérémie area, executing them in cold blood with firearms and bladed weapons. Gruesome scenes unfolded as mutilated bodies were burned in the streets, causing dread among local residents. RNDDH indicated that approximately 60 victims were killed on Friday, and another 50 met the same fate on Saturday.

As investigations unfold, it's reported that while most victims fit into the older demographic, some younger individuals attempting to protect them were also slain. Monel Felix, known as Mikano, the alleged orchestrator of the mass murder, maintains control over the Wharf Jérémie area, which is hard for security forces to enter.

This incident is part of a broader surge in gang violence that overtook Haiti since the assassination of former president Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Despite a brief decline in murder rates earlier this year, violent rivalries between gangs and brutal retaliations against civilians have intensified in recent months. On October 3, another massacre claimed the lives of 115 individuals in the Pont-Sondé region, allegedly perpetrated by the Gran Grif gang.

Approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince is now under gang control, pushing hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes. The International Organization for Migration reported that over 700,000 Haitians, many of them children, are internally displaced due to this violence.

Human Rights Watch highlighted the breakdown of law and order, citing rampant sexual abuse committed by gang members against vulnerable women and girls. Attempted international interventions, such as the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission launched in June, have struggled with a lack of funding and equipment, leaving substantial gaps in security provision.

Amidst these chaotic circumstances, the Transitional Presidential Council, responsible for restoring democratic governance, remains embroiled in turmoil and has made little to no progress in organizing elections, with commentators deeming their efforts as "reigning over a mountain of ashes."