Gang Kills 47 in Haiti Church Attack, Burns Sanctuary

The Viv Ansanm gang coalition attacked the Ark of the New Testament evangelical church in the Kenscoff neighborhood of Port-au-Prince on the night of August 23, continuing into August 24, 2026. At least 47 people were killed, including five children, and more than 50 were kidnapped.

The church had been sheltering families displaced by earlier gang violence when the attack began. At least 22 of the victims were executed inside the church compound. Gang members also set fire to homes and killed animals in the surrounding area.

Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon condemned the attack and promised security reinforcements. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also issued a condemnation. But critics questioned whether the government has the capacity to protect civilians as gangs now control between 70 and 90 percent of the capital.

Bishop Joseph Gontrand Decoste described the church as the last remaining bulkhead against the moral collapse caused by gang activity, which he said explains why religious institutions are being targeted. About 40 Catholic parishes in Port-au-Prince have already closed due to gang violence in 2026.

The massacre is considered one of the largest mass killings in Haiti in recent years. Analysts say the timing, ahead of scheduled general elections in December 2026, suggests the attack was intended as a show of force by the Viv Ansanm coalition as it expands from the capital into surrounding agricultural regions.

Approximately 1.5 million people have been displaced nationwide by gang violence. Humanitarian organizations said the country's crisis has reached a level that requires sustained international intervention.