Haitian priest urges international aid after gang attack kills 47 in Kenscoff

A priest who served the farming community of Kenscoff said an armed gang assault on Aug. 23 killed at least 47 people and abducted about 50 others, prompting a plea for international help. The attack, carried out by roughly 150 heavily armed men, involved burning homes, opening fire on residents and storming a local Protestant church where displaced families had taken shelter, resulting in many deaths.

The gang coalition Viv Ansanm, which operates in Port-au-Prince, claimed responsibility and warned it would execute hostages if security forces engaged its members. While some women and children were later released, dozens remain captive, according to the priest, Father Yves Carlos Romulus.

Romulus, who lived in Kenscoff for a decade and knows several of the victims, described the community’s shock and helplessness. He said the Catholic and Protestant churches in the village had become temporary shelters for internally displaced persons fleeing violence in the capital. "Haitians are not able to deal with this situation on our own. We need the will and help of the international community to get out of such a crisis," he told The Pillar.

The United Nations estimates that 1.5 million Haitians have been internally displaced by gang activity, with more than 1,400 killings recorded in the second quarter of 2026. Pope Francis condemned the massacre in an Angelus address on Aug. 30, calling for the immediate release of all hostages and urging authorities to ensure public safety.

Romulus, who now resides in Plaine-du-Cul-de-Sac, said the local Catholic Church lacks the capacity to address the violence without external support. "We cannot do much except denounce what is happening, condemn it, and pray," he said.