UN Warns Haiti Nearing “Point of No Return” Amid Escalating Gang Violence

Haiti is rapidly approaching a “point of no return” as it struggles to cope with the escalating violence perpetrated by armed gangs, according to Maria Isabel Salvador, the UN Special Representative to the Caribbean nation, Al Jazeera reports.

Salvador delivered this stark warning to the UN Security Council on Monday.

“As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs,” Salvador stated. “Haiti could face total chaos,” she added, emphasizing the urgent need for aid and support for the international force deployed to combat the rampant gang violence.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is grappling with severe political instability. Significant portions of the country are controlled by rival armed gangs responsible for widespread murders, rapes, and kidnappings.

Salvador reported that gangs recently seized the city of Mirebalais in central Haiti, freeing over 500 prisoners during the assault. This marks the fifth prison break in under a year, which Salvador described as “part of a deliberate effort to entrench dominance, dismantle institutions, and instill fear.”

The Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, has also witnessed escalating violence as rival gangs battle for control, attempting to expand their territories.

Despite the deployment of a Kenyan-led international force authorized by the UN in June of last year, the gangs have not been effectively pushed back. The mission currently comprises approximately 1,000 police officers from six countries, falling short of the originally planned 2,500.

Kenya’s National Security Advisor, Monica Juma, addressing the Security Council via video conference from Nairobi, stated that the force has entered “a decisive phase of its operation.” She noted that gangs are coordinating operations and attacking people, strategic installations, and the political establishment.

Juma acknowledged that while Haitian police and the multinational force have launched intensive anti-gang operations and secured critical infrastructure, a significant gap remains.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also warned of the urgent need for further international support to prevent the capital from “slipping closer to the brink,” according to an unpublished report seen by AFP.

The report detailed a surge in violence, with the UN recording 2,660 homicides in the three months since December 2024 – a 41.3 percent increase compared to the previous quarter.

However, the report also highlighted a concerning civilian toll resulting from efforts to counter the gangs. During this period, anti-gang operations led to 702 deaths, with an estimated 21 percent believed to be innocent civilians.

The UN data also indicated a significant increase in gender-based violence, with 347 incidents reported in the five months leading up to February 2025. Collective rape was the most common violation, accounting for 61 percent of reported cases.