Haitian gangs release 13 captives after mass kidnapping in Kenscoff

What the report says

The United Nations says 13 people abducted in last week’s gang attack in Kenscoff, Haiti, have been released. The group included six children and seven women, according to UNICEF representatives quoted by Al Jazeera. Their freedom comes after one of the country’s largest recent mass kidnappings and amid continuing concern over the safety of civilians, especially children, in gang-held areas.

Al Jazeera reported that the attack on August 23 took place in the hillside community overlooking Port-au-Prince and Pétionville. UN accounts say about 150 armed gang members were involved, opening fire on residents and forcing people from a Protestant church where some had taken shelter. The assault left at least 47 people dead and more than 50 kidnapped, while about 2,647 residents were displaced and some homes were burned.

The release also highlights Haiti’s broader security crisis. Armed groups have expanded their control in and around the capital as state institutions have weakened, and the UN says violence has displaced more than 1.4 million people nationwide. In response to the Kenscoff attack, Haitian authorities said they were deploying reinforcements and placing security forces on maximum alert.

The UN and Haitian officials continue to press for more kidnappings to end and for order to be restored. The situation remains fluid, with gang violence still disrupting daily life and testing the government’s ability to protect communities.