The UN's top official in Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, briefed the Security Council on Monday, two weeks after the elections scheduled for 13 December were put on hold. He cautioned against setting new dates without a realistic assessment of whether a vote can be held, warning that doing so would erode public confidence and the credibility of Haitian institutions.
"What is particularly worrying is the gangs' ability to adapt their tactics as security operations intensify," Ruiz Massieu said. Armed groups are increasingly resorting to hostage-taking, intimidation and reprisals to maintain territory and challenge state authority.
Figures from the Secretary-General's latest report paint a grim picture. Between July and early October, 1,123 Haitians were killed and 440 injured in gang-related violence. Sexual violence remains widespread, with 689 women and girls reportedly raped by gang members in July and August alone.
An attack on 23 and 24 August in Kenscoff, a mountainous town southeast of Port-au-Prince, illustrated the evolving threat: at least 47 people were killed, 22 wounded, and 52 taken hostage, 13 of whom were later freed through local initiatives supported by the UN. In the West and Artibonite departments, 241 people were killed for allegedly resisting gangs. Attacks in Saint-Michel-de-l'Atalaye, Marigot and Léogâne indicate a spread of violence into rural areas, with armed groups targeting farmland, homes and public infrastructure.
The UN noted that security force operations themselves contribute to the rising death toll, accounting for 52 per cent of Haitians killed or wounded since the beginning of July, or 808 people, including 148 not associated with gangs.
The Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), logistically supported by the UN, is continuing its deployment but remains far below its authorized strength. As of 12 October, it had 1,563 uniformed members, well short of the 5,550 authorized. A base has been established in the Artibonite region beyond the capital, but armed groups retain the capacity to retaliate. On Sunday, an armoured vehicle transporting Salvadoran soldiers from the force was attacked in Croix-des-Bouquets, with four soldiers still missing as of Monday, according to media reports.
Ruiz Massieu stressed that security operations alone cannot bring lasting stabilisation. He called for the permanent restoration of state presence and the development of disarmament and reintegration programmes, particularly for children recruited by gangs.
The persistent insecurity jeopardises a return to democracy. Haiti has not held national elections since 2016. More than 35 political parties and groups, and 3,500 candidates have registered, but as of 5 October only 759,257 potential voters were on the lists out of an estimated electorate of 6.5 million people. Insecurity and mass displacement are further complicating election logistics.
Nearly 1.5 million people have fled their homes, including more than 740,000 children. The economy is expected to contract for the seventh consecutive year, while the UN's 2026 humanitarian plan is only about half funded.