Weekly Report February 17 to February 24, 2026

Kenscoff: 16-Armed Individuals Killed During PNH Operation Involving Private Military Contractors

Sixteen-armed individuals were killed during a large-scale operation conducted by the Haitian National Police (PNH) on the night of February 20 to 21 in the commune of Kenscoff, according to an official press release issued by the Direction de Communication de la Police (DICOP). According to the communiqué, the intervention began around midnight with the strategic deployment of specialized police units in the localities of Godet and Wynn Farm, marking the start of a methodical encirclement phase targeting armed groups operating in the mountainous zone.

Hostilities reportedly began around 4:00 a.m. The engagement involved:

• Deployment of elite sniper units

• Use of two drones for aerial support and surveillance

• Coordinated ground operations by specialized tactical elements

  
  

Following the clashes, 16-armed individuals were described as fatally wounded. Police authorities indicated that the casualty count remains preliminary and is based on information reported by officers engaged on the ground.

The operation mobilized:

• Specialized units of the PNH

• The Task Force

• Private Military Contractors (PMC), as referenced in the official DICOP communiqué

Authorities characterized the operation as a success from an operational standpoint. However, officers were unable to immediately recover the weapons of the deceased individuals due to the significant distance between police positions and those of the assailants, as well as the difficult mountainous terrain.

DICOP stated that pursuit and clearing operations remain ongoing in order to fully secure the zone. The February 20–21 operation follows weeks of escalating violence in Kenscoff’s highland sections. Armed groups have conducted repeated attacks in several localities, including:

• Kay Jak, where multiple civilians were killed in late January

• Do Pitimi, where kidnappings were reported

• Viard 2 and Godet, previously targeted during police offensives

• Sourcailles and Nouvelle-Touraine, where homes were set on fire

• Morne Tranchant, where armed elements reportedly attempted incursions under fog cover

Residents in remote sections continue to report nighttime gunfire, displacement, and restricted movement due to insecurity. Kenscoff’s mountainous geography presents substantial operational challenges. The area’s steep elevations, dense vegetation, limited access routes, and frequent fog provide concealment for armed groups and complicate immediate weapon recovery following engagements. The latest operation represents one of the most significant security interventions in Kenscoff in recent weeks. According to police authorities, active pursuit efforts are continuing to prevent regrouping and to consolidate control over affected areas. The security situation in Kenscoff remains fluid as stabilization efforts proceed.

Delmas Under Siege: Nearly 20 Kidnappings Reported as Police Kill Two Suspects in Delmas 30 Operation

Delmas continues to experience a sharp escalation in kidnapping incidents, with nearly twenty abductions reported in recent weeks across multiple neighborhoods, including Delmas 19, 30, 31, 33, 40B, 65, and 75. The frequency and geographic spread of cases have positioned the commune as one of the most consistently affected kidnapping zones in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.

The latest development occurred early Saturday, February 21, 2026, when two men suspected of involvement in kidnapping activities were shot and killed during a police operation in Delmas 30. According to initial reports, the suspects were traveling on a motorcycle when they were intercepted by law enforcement officers. An exchange of gunfire followed, leaving both individuals dead at the scene. Two firearms were recovered. A third suspect fled and remains the subject of an active manhunt.

While authorities have not formally linked the two deceased suspects to specific kidnapping cases, the intervention comes amid an alarming surge in abductions that has deeply unsettled residents and businesses throughout the commune.

Delmas has become a primary kidnapping corridor largely because of geography and mobility patterns. The commune functions as a high traffic connector between downtown Port-au-Prince, Pétion-Ville approaches, and the Tabarre and eastern corridors. This creates a dense and predictable daily flow of commuters, commercial vehicles, school traffic, and institutional movement. Traffic congestion and recurring choke points force vehicles to slow or stop, creating vulnerable interception moments.

At the same time, Delmas offers multiple branching routes and secondary streets that allow perpetrators to quickly remove victims from main arteries and disperse before a coordinated police response can materialize. The combination of high movement volume and rapid exit options makes the commune structurally attractive for fast abduction operations.

Delmas also presents a target rich environment. The area hosts clusters of small businesses, workshops, offices, schools, and clinics. Routine schedules, morning drop offs, opening and closing hours, and payroll cycles, create predictable windows of vulnerability. Local reporting has documented repeated kidnappings and attempted kidnappings affecting ordinary residents and employees moving through these daily routines.

The tactics observed in recent incidents emphasize deception, speed, and minimal exposure time. A recent security alert from the United States Embassy in Haiti warned that kidnappers have posed as police officers, increasing confusion and initial compliance during encounters. Residents have reported cases in which suspects wore clothing resembling law enforcement uniforms during attempted abductions.

Commonly described patterns include small teams operating in pickup trucks, SUVs, or motorcycles, intercepting vehicles at narrow points or traffic slowdowns, forcing rapid transfers, and departing within minutes. The ability to break line of sight quickly and move into dense urban sectors complicates immediate pursuit. United Nations human rights reporting has repeatedly noted that kidnappings in Haiti are underreported, meaning that visible spikes in areas like Delmas may reflect only a portion of actual incidents.

The cumulative impact of nearly twenty reported kidnappings within a short timeframe has significantly strained public confidence. Families are limiting movement, businesses are adjusting operating hours, and transportation routes are increasingly unpredictable. The United States Embassy has urged its citizens to maintain heightened vigilance and adopt strict personal security precautions due to the ongoing threat of kidnapping and armed violence, including in Delmas.

For international organizations, NGOs, and implementing partners planning to operate or position personnel in Delmas in support of the upcoming UN led Gang Suppression Force mission, the current environment requires structured and layered security planning. Based on field assessments conducted by Halo Solutions Firm S.A., organizations should prioritize route unpredictability, staggered movement schedules, and avoidance of routine travel patterns. Personnel movements should be conducted with vetted drivers, dual vehicle configurations when feasible, and strict communications check in protocols.

Compounds or operational offices in Delmas should incorporate controlled access procedures, hardened perimeter measures, trained local guard forces, and secure parking configurations that prevent rapid vehicle interception at gates. Arrival and departure times should be varied, and public facing visibility minimized where possible. Staff awareness training on impersonation tactics, including how to verify legitimate police stops through pre-established liaison channels, is strongly recommended.

Organizations are advised to maintain close coordination with the Haitian National Police, UN security structures, and reliable private security providers for real time situational awareness. Crisis response plans should include immediate reaction protocols for attempted interdictions, designated safe rally points, and clear internal reporting chains. Travel risk assessments should be updated weekly given the fluid nature of the threat environment.

Delmas remains operationally significant due to its mobility corridors and commercial density. Without disciplined movement control, protective posture, and constant intelligence updates, organizations face elevated exposure to opportunistic and targeted abduction risks. As law enforcement continues pursuit operations following the Delmas 30 incident, the commune remains at the center of a sustained and evolving kidnapping crisis that demands proactive risk mitigation from all actors deploying personnel into the area.

Haitian National Police Conduct Coordinated Counter-Kidnapping Operations in Delmas Resulting in Six Fatalities

On February 23, 2026, the Haitian National Police (PNH) carried out coordinated counter-kidnapping operations across multiple sectors of Delmas, disrupting an attempted abduction and neutralizing six suspected perpetrators. The operation, confirmed by the Directorate of Communication of the Police (DICOP), resulted in significant seizures of weapons and vehicles, while also leading to the deaths of two police officers in the line of duty.

The incident originated during the morning hours in the Delmas 48 sector, where armed individuals traveling in two sport utility vehicles allegedly attempted to stage a vehicular interdiction to facilitate the kidnapping of a targeted individual. According to police reporting, the suspects intended to block the victim’s passage using their vehicles in order to execute the abduction.

Police units responded rapidly to the developing situation, prompting the suspects to abandon the attempted kidnapping and disperse. Pursuit operations extended into Delmas 31, where two suspects were fatally wounded during exchanges of gunfire with responding officers. The remaining individuals fled toward Delmas 17, where specialized police units had been mobilized to contain the threat. Subsequent armed confrontations in that sector resulted in four additional suspects being neutralized. Among those identified were individuals known by the aliases “Dumort” and “Kenny,” also referred to as “Kalash,” both of whom sustained fatal injuries during engagements with law enforcement.

According to official PNH reporting, six suspected kidnappers were neutralized in total, two in Delmas 31 and four in Delmas 17. Three vehicles were confiscated, including a Nissan Patrol, a Toyota RAV4, and a Mitsubishi Canter. Eight firearms were seized during the operation, consisting of four assault-type rifles and four handguns. Police also recovered a Toyota Prado belonging to the intended victim, preventing its seizure by the criminal group.

The operation resulted in significant losses for the PNH. Two officers were killed in the line of duty; one assigned to the SWAT unit and one from the Intervention Brigade (BI). Three additional officers sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment. The casualties underscore the high-risk operational environment in which counter-kidnapping units continue to operate, particularly in urban zones characterized by entrenched armed group activity.

The operation also reflects ongoing institutional capacity-building efforts supported by international partners. The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), maintains anti-kidnapping subject matter experts embedded alongside relevant PNH units. These advisors provide technical assistance, investigative mentoring, operational planning support, and capacity development aimed at strengthening Haiti’s counter-kidnapping architecture. While the February 23 operation was executed under Haitian command authority, it occurred within a broader framework of sustained professionalization and international cooperation designed to enhance the PNH’s ability to disrupt organized criminal networks.

In its official communication, the PNH reaffirmed its institutional commitment to dismantling kidnapping networks, which it described as a persistent threat to public security and economic stability in the metropolitan area. Authorities emphasized that coordinated operations will continue nationwide, relying on rapid deployment of specialized units and direct engagement against armed criminal groups operating in high-risk sectors.

Haitian Armed Forces Deploy Personnel to Martinique for Advanced Training Under France–Haiti SABRE Partnership

Twenty-five soldiers from the Armed Forces of Haiti, Forces Armées d’Haïti, departed the country on Saturday to participate in an intensive training program in Martinique alongside the French Armed Forces in the Antilles. The initiative is being carried out within the framework of the SABRE partnership between Haiti and France and reflects ongoing efforts to deepen bilateral military cooperation.

According to Haitian authorities, the program is designed to strengthen the technical, tactical, and operational capabilities of the Forces Armées d’Haïti. The training will focus on operational planning, crisis management, emergency response coordination, and command procedures, while also facilitating professional exchanges between Haitian and French military personnel.

The deployment forms part of Haiti’s broader strategy to restructure and professionalize its military institution, which was officially re-established in 2017. In an environment marked by persistent insecurity and mounting internal challenges, Haitian officials view specialized international training and defense partnerships as essential to improving operational readiness and strengthening the intervention capacity of the national armed forces.

United Nations Raises Alarm Over Widespread Gang Recruitment and Exploitation of Children in Haiti

The United Nations has warned that a majority of the 26-major armed gangs currently operating in Haiti are involved in the recruitment and exploitation of children, highlighting what it describes as a deepening protection crisis affecting minors across gang-influenced areas.

Speaking at a press briefing, Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, referenced a newly released UN report outlining multiple forms of child exploitation linked to armed groups. According to the findings, some children are assigned low-level tasks, while others are used to monitor police movements, collect extortion payments, damage property, and participate in kidnappings, targeted killings, and acts of sexual violence.

Although the UN report does not provide a precise estimate of the total number of children affected, it notes that approximately 500,000 minors were living in gang-influenced areas in 2024, based on United Nations data. The Office further expressed concern that children associated with armed groups are frequently treated as perpetrators rather than victims. Cases have been documented in which minors were reportedly killed during police operations or by self-described “self-defense” groups.

The UN identifies structural vulnerabilities such as extreme poverty, institutional fragility, social exclusion, and chronic armed violence as major risk factors driving child recruitment. Children are reportedly drawn in through promises of protection, social status, and financial gain, or coerced through threats, physical force, access to food, or exposure to drugs. Those at greatest risk include children from impoverished or marginalized households, street-connected youth, and minors residing in displacement camps.

The High Commissioner has called for strengthened safeguards for schools, greater accountability for those responsible for trafficking and exploitation, and a justice approach that prioritizes rehabilitation rather than punishment for children associated with armed groups.

IOM Reports Surge in Forced Returns to Haiti as Humanitarian Pressures Intensify

The International Organization for Migration has reported that more than 23,000 individuals were forcibly returned to Haiti in January 2026 alone, a figure that surpasses the monthly average recorded throughout 2025. The data, published in a February 18 report, highlights mounting migration pressures amid an already fragile humanitarian and security environment.

According to the organization, the spike in forced returns coincided with a period of heightened political uncertainty as the mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council was nearing its end. At the same time, insecurity-driven displacement inside the country has reached unprecedented levels, with more than 1.4 million people internally displaced due to armed violence. The IOM warns that the arrival of thousands of returnees is placing additional strain on host communities, many of which are already struggling with limited infrastructure, economic hardship, and restricted access to essential services.

The agency continues to coordinate with Haitian authorities and humanitarian partners to provide emergency assistance, including the distribution of shelter materials and essential supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene services, health care and psychosocial support, as well as camp coordination and displacement tracking. As part of its 2026 Crisis Response Plan, the IOM and its partners are seeking $60 million in funding to expand humanitarian support, assist reintegration efforts, and stabilize vulnerable communities.

Migration dynamics are also influenced by policy developments abroad. The suspension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals in the United States, though temporarily halted by a federal court, has generated uncertainty for many Haitian families. Meanwhile, conditions surrounding the return of Haitian migrants from the Dominican Republic continue to raise humanitarian concerns, further complicating an already strained regional migration landscape.

Humanitarian actors are urging stronger international engagement to prevent further destabilization, warning that without sustained support, forced returns combined with internal displacement and insecurity could deepen Haiti’s ongoing crisis.

Escalating Pressure on Jhonson “Izo” André and the 5 Segond Gang

The United States has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the identification, location, or arrest of Jhonson André, widely known as “Izo,” leader of the 5 Segond gang based in Village de Dieu, Port-au-Prince. The announcement marks a significant escalation in international efforts to dismantle one of Haiti’s most entrenched armed networks. The reward is being offered through the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program and administered by the Diplomatic Security Service.

U.S. authorities allege that André ordered the March 18, 2023 kidnapping of an American citizen in Port-au-Prince. The victim was reportedly abducted by armed men and taken into territory controlled by the group before being released after ransom payment and the surrender of property. A criminal complaint was filed against André in December 2024 for kidnapping and conspiracy related to hostage-taking. In December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him under executive authorities targeting individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses, freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions involving U.S. persons or entities.

In Haiti, the Haitian National Police continue to seek André on charges including kidnapping for ransom, homicide, cargo truck hijacking, illegal possession of firearms, and criminal conspiracy. Civil society documentation has also linked the 5 Segond structure to systematic extortion, sexual violence, and coercive control over local populations.

A February 15, 2026, field assessment conducted by Halo Solutions Firm S.A. provides additional insight into the operational posture and structural resilience of the 5 Segond network, sometimes referenced in reporting as UVD. The assessment emphasizes that the group’s geographic positioning in Village de Dieu offers significant strategic advantages. The area provides proximity to maritime corridors, riverine access points, and densely populated urban terrain, enabling rapid movement and layered concealment. This positioning facilitates compressed abduction timelines, rapid handoff capability, and controlled exfiltration into defended spaces.

According to the assessment, kidnapping remains a core revenue mechanism for the organization. However, it operates within a diversified coercive economy that includes extortion of commercial transit, informal taxation of local economic activity, control of fuel and goods movement, and forced compliance from residents and small businesses. The model emphasizes short-duration hostage retention cycles, reducing exposure to coordinated police response while maximizing ransom throughput efficiency. This approach allows for financial liquidity without prolonged holding risk.

The report also describes a decentralized operational architecture. Rather than functioning through a rigid vertical command structure, the network operates through flexible cells capable of semi-autonomous execution. Tactical nodes are financially and strategically aligned but maintain compartmentalized communications and operational separation. This structure complicates leadership targeting efforts, as localized activities can persist even when command figures face external pressure.

The organization reportedly demonstrates adaptive counter-surveillance practices. Movement patterns are irregular, meeting locations shift frequently, and internal vetting has intensified in response to sanctions and intelligence pressure. Halo’s assessment indicates that international sanctions and public reward announcements historically increase internal suspicion within gang hierarchies, often triggering tighter operational discipline, temporary communication reduction, and reconfiguration of trusted inner circles.

At the same time, the assessment warned that leadership targeting may produce short-term volatility. Patterns observed in previous enforcement escalations suggest that demonstrative violence or retaliatory signaling cannot be ruled out when senior figures perceive existential threat. Tactical posture adjustments may include shifts in abduction zones, alterations in negotiation timelines, and increased internal enforcement to deter defection.

The group’s sustained presence is attributed not only to armed capacity but to its ability to embed within local economic ecosystems. Through coercive taxation, forced service arrangements, and selective protection mechanisms, the network reinforces dependence and suppresses open resistance. This layered influence extends beyond overt armed activity and complicates stabilization efforts in adjacent zones.

The broader security implications remain significant. While intensified U.S. legal action, financial sanctions, and intelligence incentives are expected to constrain international financial exposure and increase reputational isolation, localized coercive structures are unlikely to dissolve immediately without sustained territorial denial and coordinated enforcement efforts. Leadership targeting may degrade cohesion over time, but short-term operational continuity remains probable given the network’s decentralized structure.

The United States is urging individuals with credible information to contact the Rewards for Justice program through secure channels, including Signal, WhatsApp, or Telegram at +1-202-702-7843. Authorities state that communications will be handled with strict confidentiality and, in certain circumstances, relocation assistance may be available for informants.

The offer of up to $1 million for information leading to the identification, location, or arrest of Jhonson “Izo” André underscores the seriousness of the international effort to dismantle the 5 Segond network and signals a calibrated escalation in the campaign to disrupt one of Haiti’s most prominent armed organizations.

OAS Activates Second Forward Operating Base to Reinforce Multinational Security Mission in Haiti

On February 18, 2026, the Special Representative of the Organization of American States in Haiti, Cristobal Dupouy, announced the official inauguration and operational launch of a second forward operating base (FOB) supporting the multinational security mission in the country.

According to Ambassador Dupouy, the newly established base is designed to enhance the operational capacity of the Gang Repression Force (FRG) in close coordination with the Haitian National Police. The facility is expected to strengthen targeted operations against armed groups, expand law enforcement presence in high-risk and strategically significant areas, improve civilian protection measures, and contribute to restoring broader security stability.

The OAS representative also acknowledged the critical role played by Canada in advancing the initiative. He extended specific appreciation to Canadian Ambassador to Haiti André François Giroux for his support, noting that Canadian assistance—channeled through the OAS—continues to bolster institutional reinforcement and security sector stabilization efforts across Haiti.

Deadly Ambush in Kenscoff Claims Lives of Two Natcom Technicians

Two employees of the telecommunications provider Natcom were killed on Saturday, February 21, in Kenscoff following a violent ambush carried out by armed assailants. A third employee sustained injuries during the attack, according to Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon, who confirmed the incident on Sunday during an interview on Magik9 radio.

The victims were traveling by vehicle to service a company installation in the Téléco area when they were intercepted near Morne Tranchant. During the assault, attackers reportedly hurled Molotov cocktails at the vehicle, igniting it and resulting in fatal consequences.

Mayor Massillon urged national police authorities to increase their operational focus on the Morne Tranchant corridor, emphasizing that multiple security incidents have previously been reported in the area.

Security Reinforcements Deployed to Nord Department as PNH Expands Operational Footprint

On February 20, 2026, Cap-Haïtien received multiple armored vehicles aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the Haitian National Police (PNH) in the Nord department amid renewed security concerns. The equipment was formally received at the Cap-Haïtien International Port by the departmental director, Sem Calixte, who reiterated the institution’s firm stance against armed groups disrupting public order. He warned that individuals in possession of illegal weapons are urged to surrender them to authorities or face direct enforcement action, underscoring the clear directive from the police high command to reassert State authority and restore public confidence.

According to Divisional Inspector Arol Jean, spokesperson for the PNH in the Nord, two of the three heavy armored troop carriers delivered to the region are part of a broader package of ten armored vehicles recently handed over to Haitian authorities by Canadian Ambassador André François Giroux. These assets are expected to enhance mobility, force protection, and rapid response capabilities across key operational zones within the department.

In parallel, the General Directorate of the PNH has deployed 150 newly graduated officers from the 35th promotion class to the Nord since February 19. Following a brief integration phase, these officers will be assigned across police stations and substations throughout the department. Authorities also confirmed plans to establish an annex of the National Police Academy (ENP) in Cap-Haïtien, a measure designed to support sustained personnel development and reinforce long-term security stabilization efforts in the region.

Operation in Tabarre: Haitian National Police Detain Two Suspects Tied to Kidnapping Network

The Haitian National Police (PNH) announced the arrest of two individuals suspected of involvement in a criminal network specializing in ransom kidnappings in Port-au-Prince. On Saturday, February 21, 2026, authorities apprehended Jerry Facile, described as a key operative within the group. According to preliminary investigative findings, he was allegedly responsible for identifying targets and coordinating abduction operations on behalf of the network.

Following his transfer to the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ), Facile reportedly provided information to investigators that led to the identification of additional accomplices. Acting on this intelligence, officers arrested Béatrice St-Fort on Sunday, February 22, at her residence in Vivy Mitchell. She is alleged to have played an active role within the same criminal structure. Both suspects are currently in police custody and undergoing further questioning as authorities continue efforts to dismantle kidnapping operations in the capital.

Montrouis Authorities Applaud Deployment of Armored Vehicles

The Mayor of Montrouis, Blaise Elysée, has expressed support for the recent deployment of six armored vehicles to the Artibonite Departmental Directorate of the Haitian National Police (PNH). The armored assets are expected to enhance ongoing security operations targeting armed groups operating within this vital agricultural corridor.

Montrouis, once one of Haiti’s premier coastal tourism destinations along the Côtes-des-Arcadins in the Artibonite Department, gradually fell under the influence of armed groups during 2025 as insecurity spread north from Port-au-Prince. Long-standing local land disputes in sections such as Piatre and Délugé escalated into armed confrontations, but the situation deteriorated sharply in September 2025 when the local police station was attacked and burned, effectively collapsing the state security presence. By late October 2025, armed elements linked to gang networks operating out of Canaan along with Artibonite-based groups such as Gran Grif and factions associated with the broader Viv Ansanm coalition began exerting control over key roadways and neighborhoods. These groups established checkpoints, carried out attacks, and displaced residents, transforming Montrouis from a major beach tourism hub into a contested and strategically significant corridor between Port-au-Prince and Saint-Marc.

Speaking on the development, the mayor described the additional equipment as a critical operational boost for law enforcement units working to stabilize the department. He indicated that the armored vehicles should improve force protection capabilities, strengthen police mobility, and assist in reclaiming areas currently affected by gang influence.

Mayor Elysée also called for a sustained intensification of police operations in Montrouis, noting that the commune has faced mounting pressure from armed actors since October 25, 2025. According to local authorities, these groups maintain operational links to networks based in Canaan, located along the northern exit of Port-au-Prince.