Nearly 200 Killed in Haiti Massacre Targeting Voodoo Practitioners
Haiti has experienced a devastating massacre over the weekend, resulting in nearly 200 fatalities, with attacks specifically targeting members of the voodoo community. The violence took place in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and underscores the persistent dominance of powerful gangs that control much of the city. The attacks were reportedly orchestrated by a gang leader who accused voodoo followers of causing his son’s illness, according to the Committee for Peace and Development (CPD).
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the brutality, describing the massacre as a “horrific act” that claimed at least 184 lives, including 127 elderly men and women. Haiti’s Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime, also denounced the violence, calling it an attack on humanity itself.
Witness accounts reveal gruesome details of the attacks, with victims hunted down in their homes and executed. In the Wharf Jeremie area of Cite Soleil, more than a hundred people were reportedly mutilated and burned in the streets. Families were left unable to recover the bodies of their loved ones due to the gang’s ruthless actions.
Haiti has long battled political instability, economic struggles, and social issues, but the situation worsened significantly following armed groups’ attempts to overthrow former Prime Minister Ariel Henry earlier this year. With gangs now controlling 80% of the capital, the country remains in a state of chaos despite international efforts, including a Kenyan-led police support mission, to stabilize the situation.
The United Nations and local authorities are now urging for a thorough investigation into the massacre and seeking more international support to strengthen Haiti’s police forces in their fight against gang control. Additionally, over 700,000 Haitians are internally displaced, with half of them being children, and thousands more have been forced to flee their homes due to the weekend’s deadly events.
Nearly 200 Killed in Haiti Massacre Targeting Voodoo Practitioners
