UN warns of worsening violence in Haiti as 2,000 displaced in Port-au-Prince
Key Points(5)
- The United Nations has warned that escalating gang violence in Haiti is placing civilians at increasing risk, with approximately 2,000 people displaced in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area since mid-October.
- Speaking at a UN press briefing on Friday, November 13, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Farhan Haq, said intensified clashes in densely populated neighborhoods were worsening the country's humanitarian crisis and restricting access to essential services.
- “Since mid-October, violence in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, has displaced around 2,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM),” Haq said.
- According to the UN, nearly 90 percent of those displaced by the latest violence are staying with host families, while the remainder have sought shelter at five informal sites.
- The latest displacement comes as Haiti continues to grapple with widespread insecurity and a deepening humanitarian emergency.
The United Nations has warned that escalating gang violence in Haiti is placing civilians at increasing risk, with approximately 2,000 people displaced in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area since mid-October.
Speaking at a UN press briefing on Friday, November 13, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Farhan Haq, said intensified clashes in densely populated neighborhoods were worsening the country's humanitarian crisis and restricting access to essential services.
“Since mid-October, violence in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, has displaced around 2,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM),” Haq said.
According to the UN, nearly 90 percent of those displaced by the latest violence are staying with host families, while the remainder have sought shelter at five informal sites.
The latest displacement comes as Haiti continues to grapple with widespread insecurity and a deepening humanitarian emergency.
Figures from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights indicate that approximately 4,200 people were killed in violence between January and September 2026, while an estimated 1.5 million people remain displaced nationwide.
Haq warned that ongoing clashes were also severely affecting humanitarian operations, making it increasingly difficult for aid organizations to reach vulnerable communities.
“The violence is hindering our ability to coordinate safe humanitarian operations and curtailing our access, making it harder to reach people in need. We call for communities to be protected and to be able to access health facilities, schools and other essential services,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations have called for greater international support to strengthen the Haitian National Police and the Armed Forces of Haiti, reinforce the rule of law and combat impunity.
In a joint statement, the ministers expressed concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation, urging all security forces operating in Haiti to prioritize civilian protection.
“Furthermore, we urged all security actors present in Haiti to prioritise the protection of Haitian civilians in all of their security operations,” the ministers said.
They also expressed alarm over continued reports of human rights violations and called for increased international financial assistance to support security and humanitarian operations.
“We have urged the international community to increase its financial contributions to the United Nations trust fund, as the success of the UN-mandated hybrid mission depends on sustained multilateral support to fund its operations. We have called on the international community to provide essential support for humanitarian aid in Haiti, in order to address the multiple crises facing the Haitian people,” the statement added.
Haiti has experienced prolonged political instability and escalating gang violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
Armed gangs have expanded their influence across parts of the capital and surrounding communities, displacing residents, disrupting essential services and complicating efforts to restore security.
The UN and international partners continue to call for coordinated action to protect civilians, strengthen Haiti's security institutions and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those most in need.
