Haiti’s Artibonite region. A vital agricultural area known as the country’s breadbasket, has been hit by a deadly gang attack that has left at least 70 people dead and 30 injured, according to the Collective Defending Human Rights group. The initial reports from local authorities had suggested a much lower toll, with 16 dead and 10 injured, and a preliminary civil protection report putting the number at 17 dead and 19 injured. But the rights group said the actual death toll was far higher, describing the incident as a “massacre.”

Displacement and Fleeing Residents

The attack. Which occurred in the Jean-Denis area on Sunday, forced nearly 6,000 people to flee their homes, according to the group. “The lack of a security response and the abandonment of Artibonite to armed groups demonstrate a complete abdication of responsibility by the authorities,” the group said in a statement. The violence has added to a growing crisis in the region, where gang conflicts have increasingly spilled beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The attack occurred around 3 a.m. local time, according to civil protection authorities — the area has seen a surge in violence in recent months, with more than 2,000 people displaced in nearby Verrettes due to armed raids. This has prompted residents in Petite-Riviere to flee as well, further compounding the displacement crisis.

UN Condemns Attack, Calls for Investigation

A spokesperson for the UN secretary general condemned the attack and called for a thorough investigation. “The violence reveals the gravity of the security situation in the country,” the spokesperson said, adding that the international community must take action to address the growing threat posed by armed groups in Haiti.

The attack was carried out by members of the Gran Grif gang, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. Washington has offered a reward of up to $3 million for information on the financial activities of Gran Grif and the Viv Ansanm group, which are both coalitions of hundreds of gangs. The U.S. has also deployed a private military company to support Haitian security forces in their operations against these groups.

Haitian security forces, backed by a UN-backed international mission and U.S. military support, have intensified efforts to combat gangs that control much of the capital; Despite these operations, no major gang leader has been arrested, and the conflict continues to escalate.

Escalating Violence and Humanitarian Crisis

The gang violence has left more than a million people displaced, exacerbating food insecurity in a country already struggling with poverty and instability. As of now. Close to 20. 000 people have been reported killed in Haiti since 2021, with the death toll rising each year. The latest attack adds to the growing list of incidents that have left families shattered and communities in disarray.

Residents in the Artibonite region. Which is key for food production in Haiti, have been particularly vulnerable to gang violence; the area has seen some of the worst violence in recent years, with armed groups increasingly targeting farming communities and displacing thousands. The attack on Sunday has only deepened the sense of fear and insecurity among local residents.

Local officials have struggled to contain the violence, with limited resources and a lack of coordination among security forces. The UN and international partners have called for greater support to help stabilize the situation, but progress has been slow. The lack of a strong security response has allowed armed groups to operate with impunity, further eroding public trust in the government.

The situation has drawn international attention, with the U.S. and other countries offering financial incentives to gather intelligence on gang activities. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains uncertain, and the cycle of violence shows no sign of abating. With each new attack, the humanitarian crisis deepens, and the need for a coordinated response becomes more urgent.

The attack in Artibonite has not only claimed lives but has also displaced thousands, disrupting the region’s agricultural output and further straining an already fragile economy. As the death toll rises and more people are forced to flee, the international community faces mounting pressure to take decisive action to address the root causes of the violence.

Authorities have yet to provide a full account of the attack, and a thorough investigation is still pending. Until then, the people of Haiti continue to live under the threat of gang violence, with no clear resolution in sight.