In 2024, over 5,600 people were killed in Haiti amid escalating gang violence, with more than 2,200 injured and 1,500 kidnapped. The U.N. reported lynchings, police summary executions, and widespread impunity and corruption, as gangs control about 85% of the capital.

In Haiti, more than 5,600 people were reported killed last year as a U.N.-backed mission, led by Kenya, struggles to contain escalating gang violence, according to officials on Tuesday. The number of killings represents a more than 20% increase compared to all of 2023, as reported by the U.N. Human Rights Office. Additionally, over 2,200 individuals were reported injured, and nearly 1,500 people were kidnapped during the same period.

The U.N. Human Rights Office also documented 315 lynchings of suspected gang members or individuals allegedly linked to gangs. Furthermore, there were 281 reported cases of alleged summary executions carried out by specialized police units.

Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized in a statement that these figures highlight the persistent violence Haitians are enduring. He added that impunity for human rights violations, abuses, and widespread corruption remain serious issues in the country.

Among those killed last year were 315 suspected gang members or individuals associated with gangs, who were lynched, and more than 280 people who were allegedly killed in summary executions by police, according to the U.N.

The escalation of violence, marked by coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations, and the primary international airport, has intensified since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. It is estimated that gangs now control approximately 85% of the Haitian capital.