Armed members of Haiti's Viv Ansanm gang coalition raided Kenscoff late Sunday, setting homes on fire and killing multiple residents. Access and communication failures prevented authorities from establishing a definitive death toll on Monday.
Survivors found relatives and neighbors dead in the streets as families searched for missing people. Attackers targeted a church and homes, including property belonging to physician Jean Bill Pape, whose organization treats patients with HIV and tuberculosis.
Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon blamed Viv Ansanm, which the United States designated a foreign terrorist organization last year. Haiti's government condemned the assault, promised reinforcements and ordered security forces to pursue those responsible.
Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and have repeatedly pushed into nearby Kenscoff. Violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people; more than 3,100 were killed and 1,189 injured from January through June.
The attack comes as Haiti prepares for December 13 general elections, its first in more than a decade, despite warnings that insecurity makes voting dangerous. The United States also recently deported more than 160 people after ending protected status for many Haitians, adding pressure to a weakened state.
