Haitians Demand Answers After Gang Massacre Devastates Christian Community
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (Worthy News) – Haitians were demanding answers after hundreds of mourners crowded into a church near the capital for the funeral of four of 47 people killed in one of the country’s deadliest recent gang attacks, which also devastated a Christian community and displaced thousands.
Mourners wiped away tears, raised their hands and cried out Sunday as coffins arrived at a church in the farming community of Kenscoff, where armed men carried out the August 23-24 massacre.
Inside, people swayed to gospel music while others wailed. The church became so crowded that dozens stood outside and watched through its windows.
“We thank everyone who came in solidarity with the families that died and those who lost their loved ones,” Pastor Jean Robert Dorlus said. “God will open a space to receive them.”
The attack has particularly shaken Haiti’s Christian community. United Nations officials said some 150 heavily armed gang members attacked Kenscoff, pursuing more than 50 people who had sought refuge inside a church before forcing them outside and killing many of them.
CHRISTIANS UNDER PRESSURE
U.N. officials said the attackers killed dozens of people who had sought refuge at the church, including victims executed in its courtyard.
The insecurity is also making Christian ministry increasingly difficult. Maddalena Boschetti, a Christian missionary who has served in Haiti since 2002, said traveling, working, praying and obtaining basic necessities have become increasingly difficult amid killings, kidnappings and other violence in the Caribbean nation.
More than 50 people were kidnapped during the Kenscoff attack. The gang later released six children and seven women following an intervention by community leaders and UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, but dozens remained captive.
Survivors have accused police of failing to intervene quickly enough. Haiti’s National Police ordered an investigation to determine whether the failure to prevent the massacre involved “complicity or negligence.”
Outside Sunday’s funeral, armed civilians stood guard alongside police amid fears of another attack.
SURVIVOR RECALLS TERROR
“I almost died,” Kenscoff resident Jean Calixte Juste recalled after fleeing the gunmen. “I almost fell into a ravine running. This is the worst and most terrible night I’ve ever experienced.”
Another resident, Yvon Marleus, who lost a cousin in the attack, accused police of failing to respond quickly enough. “They didn’t act in time to stop the carnage,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV condemned the massacre Sunday and appealed for the immediate release of the remaining hostages.
“I express my prayerful closeness to the victims and their families and ask that all the hostages be released without delay,” the pontiff said. He also urged those responsible to ensure the population’s safety and end the violence.
The attack injured dozens and displaced more than 2,600 people, adding to a nationwide humanitarian crisis in which nearly 1.5 million Haitians have been driven from their homes.
GANG VIOLENCE SPREADS
Armed gangs control large areas of Port-au-Prince and have increasingly expanded into other parts of Haiti, including Kenscoff, once considered relatively secure.
Haiti has struggled with political instability and gang violence for years, but the security crisis deepened dramatically after President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021. The resulting political turmoil provided armed gangs with greater opportunities to expand their territorial control.
The Caribbean nation currently has no elected president. Executive authority passed to the Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, after the mandate of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council expired in February without national elections having been completed.
More than 21,000 people have been killed in Haiti since the start of 2022, including more than 3,050 during the first half of this year, according to United Nations figures.
The bloodshed has placed growing pressure on churches, missionaries and other Christian workers who often remain among communities where government institutions and security forces have limited reach. Boschetti stressed that churches remain important points of support for Haitians despite the dangers.
For survivors in Kenscoff, the massacre has shattered hopes that security in Haiti was improving.
“I’m ready to leave,” Juste said. “Because after this, I don’t think we’re going to survive another big attack.”
Worthy News reports from a biblical worldview with a commitment to accuracy, transparency, and editorial independence. Learn more about About Worthy News, our Editorial Standards, AI Use Policy, Ownership of Worthy News, News Tips and Corrections, and Worthy News Staff.
💡 Did you know? One of the best ways you can support Worthy News is by simply leaving a comment and sharing this article.
📢 Social media algorithms push content further when there’s more engagement — so every 👍 like, 💬 comment, and 🔄 share helps more people discover the truth. 🙌
Latest Worthy News
Books by George Whitten
Identity in Messiah Revealed https://identityinmessiah.com
A devotional journey calling believers out of self-doubt and into confident, Kingdom-rooted identity in the Messiah.
The Biblical Fall Feasts Revealed https://biblicalfallfeasts.com
An in-depth look at the Biblical fall feasts and their prophetic significance for believers today.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.