HAITI NEWS

Haiti continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis marked by escalating gang violence,politicalinstability, and severe economic hardship. As of 2026, nearly 1.5 million people have beendisplaced fromtheir homes, forcing families to seek refuge in overcrowded and unsafe shelterswith limited access to food,clean water, and basic services.

Despite these dire circumstances, faith remains a beacon of hope for many. The belief in God continues to provide comfort and support to the children and families in Haiti, offering solace and aid amidst the turmoil.

Key Events and Developments:

2018-2019: The Beginning of a New Crisis

Fuel Crisis Begins (March 2018): Venezuela halts oil exports to Haiti, triggering severe fuel shortages.
Government Response and Protests: In summer 2018, Haiti ends fuel subsidies, causing prices to rise by up to 50%. This sparks ongoing protests and violent clashes with police into 2019.
Lockdown and Humanitarian Impact: By summer 2019, Haiti experiences a two-and-a-half-month lockdown, severely restricting access for humanitarian organizations to vulnerable communities.

2020-2022: New Developments and Uncertainties

COVID-19 Impact and Political Crisis: Lockdowns exacerbate income loss, food insecurity, and civic unrest. Political instability deepens with President Moïse’s constitutional crisis and assassination in July 2021. Ariel Henry becomes prime minister and acting president.
Major Earthquake Hits Haiti: Five weeks after Moïse’s assassination, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes western Haiti, about 55 miles north of Les Cayes, marking the country’s largest natural disaster since 2010.
Disaster Response Challenges: The combined effects of the political crisis and earthquake severely strain Haiti’s response and recovery efforts.

2022-23: Gang War on the Rise

Major Clashes and Crisis: Gang violence surges with significant clashes in the Plain of the Cul-de-Sac region (April-May) and Port-au-Prince (July), leading to a severe humanitarian crisis.
Conditions worsen with rising reports of violence. By July 27, the U.S. evacuates non-essential personnel, and by September, 80% of Port-au-Prince is under gang control.
October, the UN approves Kenya's leadership of a multinational security support mission (Resolution 2699). The year sees 2,490 kidnappings and 4,789 homicides.
In early 2023, the UN reports 1,554 deaths and 826 injuries due to escalating violence across Haiti.

2024: No Clear Sign of Peace

Ariel Henry resigns as president on March 11, 2024 amid pressure from Guy Philippe and his armed group.
Lack of funding has delayed the deployment of 2,500 International security personnel and hindered support for Haiti's National Police.
Foreign security personnel are currently in Haiti, including 400 Kenyans, and some Jamaicans, Belizean, Guatemalans, and Salvadorans.
On December 12th, Haiti had officially lifted its interdiction on the two airports in Port au Prince. On March 12, 2025, the FAA's ban on U.S. commercial and cargo flights & U.S. Licensed carriers was extended until September 8th for Haiti. This is in response to gang shootings of three planes on Monday, November 11th, 2024.
UNICEF reported on Monday, November 15th, that gang recruitment of minors in Haiti is up by 70 percent since last year. And nearly 50% of gang members in Haiti are children2

2025: A Deepening Crisis

UN states on January 16th, 2025 that more than 1 million displaced in Haiti as gang violence rages. The figures show that in the capital, Port-au-Prince, displacement has surged by 87 percent, driven by relentless gang violence, as well as the collapse of essential services - especially healthcare- and escalating food shortage.
On February 7th, 2025, the UN says that sexual violence against children in Haiti rises by 100%.
The first half of 2025 alone saw over 4,000 killings, according to UN figures. Between October 2024 and June 2025, a UN report documented 4,864 killings nationwide.
Approximately 5.7 million people face acute food insecurity, including over 8,400 experiencing "catastrophic hunger".
The Kenyan-led MSS mission, authorized by the UN Security Council, has struggled to make significant headway against the gangs. The mission faces challenges with funding and resources, hindering its effectiveness.
The security situation continues to deteriorate, with gangs expanding their control beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince, into other regions like the Artibonite and Centre departments.
In late September 2025, the UN and international partners began transitioning the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to a scaled-up Gang Suppression Force (GSF). The new force has a strengthened mandate to directly combat criminal gangs and restore security.
UN states on January 16th, 2025 that more than 1 million displaced in Haiti as gang violence rages. The figures show that in the capital, Port-au-Prince, displacement has surged by 87 percent, driven by relentless gang violence, as well as the collapse of essential services - especially healthcare- and escalating food shortage.

2026: Continued Crisis

Haiti is enduring a severe, deepening humanitarian crisis with 1.4 million people displaced and gangs controlling ~90% of Port-au-Prince. Despite a UN-backed Gang Suppression Force achieving minor tactical gains, armed violence, including a massive rise in child recruitment, persists alongside acute food insecurity for over 5 million people.
A severe surge in violence between July and September 2026 resulted in over 1,000 deaths and more than 100 kidnappings. Gang attacks have expanded past the capital into the Artibonite and Centre Departments.
UN metrics confirm a 200% surge in forced child recruitment, with children now comprising roughly half of all gang members. Sexual violence against children has spiked by an astronomical 1,000% since 2023.
Gang operations have systematically targeted critical infrastructure. Nationally, only 10% of hospitals and health facilities remain functional, compounding a severe 2025–2026 resurgence of cholera.
On October 18, 2026, Haitian gangs ambushed international forces in Port-au-Prince, leaving four El Salvadoran personnel missing. President Nayib Bukele ordered a rescue and reinforcementmission,expanding El Salvador’s presence to an estimated 2,000–2,500 troops, including specialforces,marines, and infantry. Despite disputed remains handed over at the airport, operations continue amid heavy fighting in Santo and Croix-des-Bouquets.
Letter to the Haitian people from the President of El Salvador Bukele on Oct 29, 2026:
We didn't come to your country to make money, because no one is paying us. We came to your country to fight those who do evil. I ask you to trust us, to pray to the only true God, and to ask him to heal your land: "If my people will humble themselves, on which my name is called, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14. Help us to help them. And when our mission is over, we will return to our land, and perhaps your future generations will remember us as the friends who one day came to help. We are a humble, developing country. All we want is to get our four aerotechnicians back, and we're going to teach a lesson to the gangs that make them suffer, who have killed their loved ones and who have prevented them from living a normal, free and without fear. Although we have received a little logistical help from other nations, our little coffins are covering more than 90% of the cost. This cost us a lot, but we learned in the flesh that justice and peace are priceless. We went through the same suffering you guys are going through. We live in an even bigger bloodbath than what you are suffering from.