AROUND 180 people were killed over the weekend in Haiti’s Cite Soleil slum, according to the prime minister’s office on Monday.
The attacks were allegedly orchestrated by gang leader Monel “Mikano” Felix, following claims that his child’s illness and death were caused by witchcraft.
The National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) reported that most victims were elderly, with at least 110 people over 60 confirmed dead.
Witnesses described horrific scenes of mutilated and burned bodies, including young people killed while trying to protect others.
Felix allegedly acted on advice from a voodoo priest, who accused elders in the area of harming the child through supernatural means. The prime minister’s office vowed to “mobilize all forces” to apprehend those responsible.
Cite Soleil, one of Haiti’s most impoverished and violence-stricken areas, remains under tight gang control, limiting communication about the massacre.
The government, already struggling with political instability, has faced challenges in containing gang violence, which has fueled killings, kidnappings, and critical food shortages.
A U.N.-backed security mission, approved in 2023, has deployed limited resources, prompting calls for stronger international support.
U.N. officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, have urged nations to bolster security efforts in Haiti.
Turk noted that over 5,000 people have been killed in gang violence in Haiti this year alone.
Haiti’s transitional government plans to hold elections in 2025, contingent on improved security conditions, but deteriorating stability has delayed progress.