Haitian priest pleads for international help after massacre kills 47

Key Points:

• An armed gang attacked the village of Kenscoff near Haiti’s capital on August 23, killing at least 47 people and kidnapping around 50, with some hostages still held a week later, according to local priest Father Yves Carlos Romulus.
• The gang coalition Viv Ansanm claimed responsibility and threatened to execute hostages if government forces targeted gang members, escalating fears among residents already affected by widespread violence.
• The attack involved burning buildings and killing civilians, including those seeking refuge in a Protestant church, highlighting the extreme brutality amid Haiti’s ongoing gang violence crisis that has displaced nearly 1.5 million people.
• Pope Leo XIV condemned the massacre and kidnapping, calling for the immediate release of hostages and urging authorities to ensure public safety and end violence.
• Father Romulus, who lived in Kenscoff for 10 years before fleeing due to violence, emphasized the community’s grief and helplessness, stressing that international support is essential as local efforts to address the crisis remain limited.