A gang attack in Haiti kills 70 people, including small children

CNN
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Scores of people, including three small children, were killed in a gang attack in central Haiti, the United Nations human rights office said in a statement on Friday.

Members of the Gran Grif gang used automatic rifles to kill at least 70 people, including 10 women and three small children, on Thursday, according to the United Nations.

The attack occurred in the town of Pont Sondé in Artibonite department, a major agricultural center about 50 miles north of Port-au-Prince, where gang violence has continued to spread, according to the United Nations.

At least 16 people were seriously injured in the attack, including two gang members who were hit in a shootout with Haitian police, the United Nations said. The gang members also set fire to at least 45 homes and 34 vehicles, forcing some residents to flee.

The International Organization for Migration said more than 6,000 people had been displaced by the violence.

Haiti's Health Ministry said it had mobilized to respond to the incident but faced difficulties accessing the site due to the tense security situation. “Despite an extremely difficult security environment, the victims of this attack are being cared for by local institutions,” the ministry said.

Haiti's Prime Minister Garry Conille expressed his condolences to the victims of the attack and said law enforcement would “increase their response.”

“This heinous crime committed against defenseless women, men and children is an attack not only on these victims, but on the entire Haitian nation,” he added.

According to the UN, Gran Grif is the most powerful gang in Artibonite. Last month, Luckson Elan, the gang's alleged leader, was sanctioned by the United States for “serious human rights violations, including kidnapping, murder, beating and rape of women and children.”

Gang violence in Haiti has increased in recent years, with attacks becoming more brazen and violent. The UN reports that at least 3,661 people have been killed since January this year.

In June, foreign security forces arrived in Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which aims to provide security and restore law and order in the Caribbean country.

After Thursday's attack, the United Nations called for additional financial and logistical assistance for the MSS. It also called for a “swift and thorough investigation” into the attack and “reparations to the victims and their families.”

CNN has reached out to the Haitian National Police for comment.

“To those who sow terror, I say this: you will not break our resolve,” Conille said. “They will not subjugate this people who have always fought for their dignity and freedom. We will never give up our right to live in peace, security and justice.”