Weekly report July 16 to July 23, 2026

U.S. Congressional hearing raises alarm over child and civilian deaths in Haiti's drone campaign

During a July 21, 2026, House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing titled "Confronting Haiti's Terrorist Gangs: The Gang Suppression Force and the Path Ahead," members of Congress closely examined Haiti's deteriorating security situation while raising concerns over reports that explosive drone operations conducted by Haiti's government Task Force, with support from Vectus Global, have resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians, including children.

The hearing focused on the future of international security assistance to Haiti, including the possibility of closer operational coordination between the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), Haitian authorities, and the government Task Force. Vectus Global, led by Erik Prince, founder of the former private security company Blackwater, has assumed an increasingly visible role in Haiti's anti-gang campaign by providing security expertise and supporting explosive drone operations under contract with the Haitian government.

The congressional discussion followed findings published by Human Rights Watch, which reported that drone strikes conducted between March 2025 and January 2026 killed at least 1,243 people, including 43 civilians who were not believed to be gang members and 17 children. The organization also documented hundreds of injuries and expressed concern over the use of explosive drones in densely populated urban neighborhoods where armed gang members and civilians often occupy the same spaces.

One of the most widely cited incidents occurred on September 20, 2025, in the Simon Pelé neighborhood of Cité Soleil. Shortly after the attack, UNICEF reported that the strike killed at least six children and several adults, including a four-year-old girl who was playing outside her home, and condemned the continued impact of armed violence on Haiti's children. Human Rights Watch later conducted its own investigation and reported a higher casualty count, concluding that the strike killed 10 civilians, including nine children between the ages of three and twelve. According to the organization, many of the children had gathered near the "Nan Pak" sports and cultural complex during a gift distribution organized by individuals associated with the local criminal gang, while others were simply playing nearby or accompanying family members. The differing casualty figures reflect the distinction between UNICEF's immediate reporting following the incident and Human Rights Watch's subsequent field investigation.

The July 21 House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing highlighted an evolution in how U.S. officials publicly characterize coordination with Vectus Global and Haiti's Task Force. During a February 10, 2026, Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Haiti Henry Wooster emphasized that Vectus Global was operating under a contract with the Government of Haiti, not the United States. While acknowledging that the company's capabilities had supported anti-gang operations, Wooster stressed that the U.S. government neither directed nor exercised operational control over the company's activities.

During the July 21 hearing, Colonel Justin Gorkowski, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, described Haiti's Task Force as "a tremendous partner." He testified that a Task Force officer would be embedded within the Gang Suppression Force's (GSF) Joint Operations Center, formalizing what he described as existing informal coordination between the GSF, Vectus Global, and the Haitian Task Force. Gorkowski stated that the coordination was intended to improve operational deconfliction and information sharing, adding that "that partnership will get closer" as operations against armed gangs continue. At the same time, U.S. officials reiterated that Vectus Global remains under contract to the Haitian government and is not operating under U.S. command or control. Rather than signaling a change in legal or contractual authority, the testimony reflected a greater willingness by U.S. officials to publicly discuss operational coordination with the Haitian government's security partners as part of broader efforts to improve the effectiveness of anti-gang operations.

Members of Congress questioned whether sufficient safeguards exist to prevent civilian casualties and emphasized the need for greater transparency, oversight, and accountability as cooperation with the Haitian Task Force expands. Questions were raised regarding target verification, intelligence standards, post-strike investigations, civilian casualty assessments, and the procedures used to distinguish armed gang members from innocent civilians before employing lethal force.

While many Haitians support aggressive action against the country's heavily armed criminal gangs, which continue to terrorize communities through kidnappings, murders, extortion, sexual violence, and mass displacement, lawmakers stressed that military effectiveness cannot come at the expense of civilian protection. The deaths of children and other noncombatants have intensified calls for stricter oversight of explosive drone operations and greater adherence to international humanitarian principles.

As Haiti's security campaign continues, congressional oversight is expected to remain focused on ensuring that efforts to dismantle criminal gangs are conducted in a manner that minimizes civilian harm while restoring security. The July 21 hearing underscored the difficult balance between aggressively confronting armed gangs and protecting the innocent civilians caught in the middle of Haiti's ongoing conflict.

Sources

• U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Confronting Haiti's Terrorist Gangs: The Gang Suppression Force and the Path Ahead. Hearing held July 21, 2026.

• Reuters. US officials see closer ties with Trump ally Prince's security firm in Haiti, military adviser says. July 21, 2026.

• Human Rights Watch. Haiti: Drone Strikes Put Residents at Risk. March 10, 2026.

• UNICEF. Ten Children Killed in Ten Days in Port-au-Prince. September 2025.

• U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Hearing on Haiti with Chargé d'Affaires Henry Wooster, February 10, 2026.

• Testimony of Colonel Justin Gorkowski, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, July 21, 2026.

Beyond “Barbecue”: congressional testimony oversimplifies Haiti’s evolving gang leadership

One of the more striking aspects of the July 21, 2026, House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing, Confronting Haiti’s Terrorist Gangs: The Gang Suppression Force and the Path Ahead, was the repeated emphasis placed on Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier. Throughout the hearing, members of Congress and several witnesses including Colonel Justin Gorkowski, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince repeatedly referred to Chérizier when discussing Haiti's gang threat. To an audience unfamiliar with the current dynamics inside Haiti, the testimony could reasonably have left the impression that Chérizier remains the country's principal gang leader and the central figure responsible for directing Haiti's criminal insurgency.

There is little question that Chérizier remains one of Haiti's most notorious criminals. A former officer of the Haitian National Police (PNH), he has been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Nations for his alleged role in massacres, kidnappings, attacks against civilians, and other serious human rights abuses. As one of the original architects of the G9 Fanmi e Alye coalition and now a prominent spokesman for the Viv Ansanm alliance, Chérizier continues to wield influence and remains an important political and symbolic figure within Haiti's criminal landscape.

However, portraying Chérizier as the dominant operational leader of Haiti's gangs oversimplifies a much more complex reality.

For years, Chérizier has demonstrated an exceptional ability to shape his public image. Unlike most gang leaders, he has routinely granted interviews to foreign journalists, appeared in international documentaries, and cultivated relationships with international media organizations, including Vice News, where he portrayed himself as a revolutionary fighting corruption, political elites, and economic inequality. His carefully managed media presence has elevated him into the international face of Haiti's gangs, making him far more recognizable abroad than virtually any other criminal leader operating in the country.

Many Haitians, however, see a different picture.

Within Haiti, security professionals, journalists, humanitarian organizations, and residents generally recognize that the country's criminal landscape has evolved dramatically over the past several years. While Chérizier remains dangerous and influential, operational authority has become increasingly decentralized. Multiple gang leaders now command independent organizations with their own financing, recruitment networks, territorial control, intelligence capabilities, and tactical decision-making. The violence affecting Haiti today is no longer driven by a single dominant figure but by a network of powerful regional commanders who cooperate when advantageous while maintaining considerable autonomy.

Significantly, this is not a new assessment. Reporting as early as 2019 noted that Chérizier's influence had already declined in portions of Cité Soleil and lower Delmas, where other gang leaders increasingly exercised independent authority. Those assessments predated the formal creation of Viv Ansanm and suggested that Haiti's gangs were already evolving away from a centralized hierarchy toward a loose coalition of autonomous organizations.

That evolution has continued.

Today, many Haitian observers consider other gang leaders like Vitel'Homme Innocent, leader of the Kraze Baryè gang, to be among the country's most dangerous criminals. His organization controls much of Tabarre and Torcelle, dominates critical neighborhoods surrounding diplomatic compounds and commercial districts, and has been linked to hundreds of kidnappings, murders, extortion, and attacks against civilians. His prominence has earned him a place on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a reward of up to $2 million for information leading to his arrest.

Equally significant is Johnson "Izo" André, leader of the 5 Segonn gang headquartered in Village de Dieu. Izo controls one of Haiti's most strategically important criminal strongholds, dominating access to the southern approaches into Port-au-Prince and portions of National Route 2. His organization has long been associated with kidnappings, extortion, attacks on police, weapons trafficking, and narcotics smuggling. Despite repeated offensives by the Haitian National Police, specialized tactical units, and more recently the use of explosive drones, Village de Dieu remains one of Haiti's most resilient gang strongholds.

Another figure who receives considerably less international attention than Chérizier but arguably commands one of Haiti's most formidable criminal organizations is Wilson Joseph, better known as "Lanmò San Jou." Joseph is the leader of 400 Mawozo, one of Haiti's largest, wealthiest, and best-armed gangs. From its bases in Croix-des-Bouquets, Ganthier, Canaan, and along the Malpasse border corridor, 400 Mawozo controls key transportation routes connecting Port-auPrince with the Dominican Republic. The organization derives enormous revenue through kidnappings, illegal tolls, extortion, arms trafficking, human smuggling, and cross-border criminal activity. It was 400 Mawozo that pioneered Haiti's industrialscale kidnapping economy, carrying out hundreds of abductions of Haitian citizens while also orchestrating the internationally publicized kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries in 2021. The gang has also been identified by United Nations investigators as an important supplier of weapons and ammunition to allied criminal organizations. Wilson Joseph is under United Nations sanctions, has been indicted in the United States for hostage-taking, is wanted by the Haitian National Police, and is the subject of an FBI reward through the U.S. Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

Outside the capital, Luckson Elan, leader of Gran Grif, has transformed the Artibonite Department into one of Haiti's most violent regions. Unlike many Port-au-Prince gangs whose revenues depend heavily on kidnapping and urban extortion, Gran Grif has systematically targeted Haiti's agricultural heartland. The organization has massacred civilians, attacked Haitian National Police units, extorted farming communities, seized agricultural land, stolen crops and livestock, and weaponized sexual violence to intimidate local populations. These attacks have displaced thousands of residents and significantly contributed to Haiti's worsening food insecurity by disrupting production in the country's principal farming region.

Several additional commanders continue to exert substantial influence across the capital. Renel "Ti Lapli" Destina remains a key figure in Grand Ravine, where his organization has repeatedly launched attacks into neighboring communities. Christ-Roi "Chrisla" Chéry, leader of the Ti Bwa gang, continues to influence criminal activity in the Martissant corridor and along National Route 2. Other organizations including those operating from Wharf Jérémie, Tokyo, Belekou, Canaan, Sarthe, and Bas-Delmas possess their own command structures and regularly cooperate through the broader Viv Ansanm coalition while maintaining operational independence.

Ironically, even Chérizier himself has acknowledged this decentralized reality. In public statements dating back several years, he repeatedly argued that Haiti's gangs were no longer fighting one another but instead cooperating politically against the Haitian government. U.S. diplomatic reporting observed coordinated messaging campaigns among Chérizier, Vitel'Homme Innocent, and Renel "Ti Lapli" Destina, in which each sought to portray gang leaders as defenders of marginalized communities while shifting responsibility for Haiti's violence onto politicians, police officials, and economic elites. Those coordinated communications demonstrated political cooperation among gang leaders but did not establish that Chérizier exercised operational command over the others.

This distinction is important for policymakers.

The repeated focus on Chérizier during the congressional hearing may unintentionally reinforce an outdated understanding of Haiti's security environment. While he remains an influential and dangerous criminal whose actions have contributed significantly to Haiti's instability, many Haitians no longer view him as the singular center of gravity within the country's criminal ecosystem. His prominence today owes as much to his sophisticated media strategy and international visibility as it does to his operational authority.

Understanding Haiti's current gang structure requires recognizing that the country's violence is driven not by one man, but by a decentralized network of heavily armed organizations led by commanders such as Vitel'Homme Innocent, Wilson Joseph ("Lanmò San Jou"), Johnson "Izo" André, Luckson Elan, Renel "Ti Lapli" Destina, ChristRoi "Chrisla" Chéry, and numerous others. Each commands territory, finances, personnel, and operational planning that often function independently of Chérizier's influence.

As Congress considers future U.S. assistance to Haiti and the continued development of the Gang Suppression Force, an accurate understanding of this evolving criminal landscape will be essential. Strategies focused too narrowly on one internationally recognized figure risk overlooking the broader and increasingly decentralized network of gang leaders who now collectively drive much of Haiti's violence, territorial expansion, and humanitarian crisis.

Sources

• U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Confronting Haiti's Terrorist Gangs: The Gang Suppression Force and the Path Ahead. Hearing, July 21, 2026.

• Testimony of Michael Kozak, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

• Testimony of Colonel Justin Gorkowski, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation.. Wilson Joseph ("Lanmò San Jou") – Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation. Vitel'Homme Innocent – Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.

• United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee on Haiti.

• United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) reports on armed groups in Haiti.

• Human Rights Watch. Living a Nightmare: Haiti Needs an Urgent Rights-Based Response.

• InSight Crime. Profiles of Haiti's principal armed groups and criminal leadership.

Pnh intensifies offensive in kenscoff to reverse gang gains

The Haitian National Police (PNH) has launched another large-scale offensive in the mountainous commune of Kenscoff, signaling an increasingly aggressive effort to reclaim territory from armed gangs following one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the area this year.

According to Kenscoff Mayor Massillon Jean, the operation, conducted on July 20, involved multiple specialized PNH units, the government's Task Force, local security brigadiers, armored vehicles, helicopters, and explosive "kamikaze" drones. The offensive targeted the localities of Godet, Furcy, and Bois d'Avril, areas that have served as infiltration routes and operating bases for criminal groups attempting to expand their control into the mountains overlooking Port-au-Prince. Mayor Jean stated that several gang members were killed during the operation, although no official casualty figures have been released.

Perhaps the most significant development was the reported re-establishment of security positions in the town of Robin, where police have reinforced their presence after weeks of intense fighting. Robin became the epicenter of a brutal gang assault between July 4 and July 9, when heavily armed members of the Village de Dieu (5 Segonn) gang attacked residents, burned homes, destroyed telecommunications infrastructure, and temporarily seized parts of the community. According to the United Nations, at least 61 residents, including 14 children were killed during the attacks, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the Kenscoff campaign to date. Thousands of residents fled into surrounding communities as gangs systematically looted homes and blocked roads with felled trees to slow the arrival of security forces.

The latest offensive is part of a broader campaign that has intensified throughout July. Earlier operations sought to repel repeated incursions by the Viv Ansanm coalition, which has attempted to establish permanent positions around Téléco, Robin, Godet, Viard, and other strategic communities. During those engagements, the PNH, supported by the Task Force, employed explosive drones against suspected gang positions while specialized police units fought to prevent the coalition from advancing toward critical government facilities.

The battle for Kenscoff has become one of Haiti's most strategically important security operations. Located in the mountains southeast of Port-au-Prince, the commune serves as a critical gateway connecting the capital with the Southeast Department while overlooking several key access routes into the metropolitan area. Unlike many neighborhoods within Port-au-Prince, Kenscoff also remains one of the country's most productive agricultural regions, making control of the commune important not only from a security perspective but also for Haiti's food supply and local economy. The United Nations has previously identified Kenscoff as strategically significant because it provides an alternative route that bypasses gang-controlled sections of National Route 2.

The offensive also reflects a noticeable shift in the PNH's operational posture. Throughout much of 2024 and early 2025, security forces were frequently criticized for reacting to gang attacks rather than conducting sustained offensive operations. Over recent months, however, the PNH has increasingly adopted a more aggressive strategy centered on intelligence-driven raids, specialized tactical units, armored maneuver, aviation support, and the growing use of armed drones against fortified gang positions. Similar operations earlier this year resulted in the reported deaths of at least 16 gang members during a February offensive in Kenscoff, while additional operations successfully reoccupied the Furcy police substation after previous attacks by Viv Ansanm.

Despite these tactical gains, the security situation remains fragile. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that approximately 5,840 people, representing 1,836 households, were displaced following the July attacks on Téléco, Le Refuge, Viard, and surrounding communities. Most displaced families have sought refuge with relatives, while others continue to face significant humanitarian needs.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that gangs continue to maintain a presence in parts of Kenscoff despite recent police advances. Previous UN reporting documented a pattern of coordinated assaults by gangs affiliated with Viv Ansanm, including 5 Segonn, Grand Ravine, and Ti Bwa, which have repeatedly attempted to seize the commune because of its strategic terrain and transportation network. The UN has also noted that gang operations in Kenscoff are characterized by careful reconnaissance, local intelligence networks, pre-positioned weapons caches, and coordinated assaults designed to overwhelm isolated police positions before reinforcements can arrive.

Although authorities have reported renewed control of Robin and increased police deployments across several localities, officials acknowledge that holding territory remains the greatest challenge. Previous operations have successfully pushed gangs out of individual communities, only to see criminal groups regroup and launch renewed offensives weeks or months later. Sustaining security gains will likely require a continuous police presence, strengthened intelligence collection, rapid reaction capabilities, and continued coordination between the PNH, Task Force, and local security partners.

The latest operation nevertheless represents another indication that Haitian security forces are increasingly shifting from a reactive posture toward sustained offensive operations designed not only to repel gang attacks but also to reclaim strategically important terrain. Whether these gains can be consolidated over the long term may prove decisive in determining the future security of Kenscoff and the broader Port-auPrince metropolitan area.

Gun battles erupt in sicot as gran ravin tests defenses in carrefour-feuilles

Heavy gunfire erupted in the Sicot sector of Carrefour-Feuilles on Wednesday afternoon after armed members of the Gran Ravin gang reportedly clashed with a local vigilance brigade, highlighting the continued volatility along one of Port-auPrince's most contested security corridors.

The Sicot neighborhood lies along the frontline between Carrefour-Feuilles, Savane Pistache, Grand Ravine, and Martissant, an area where armed gangs have repeatedly sought to expand their influence. The Gran Ravin gang, led by Renel "Ti Lapli" Destina, has long been one of the principal armed groups operating in southern Port-au-Prince and has been linked to kidnappings, killings, extortion, and repeated attacks against neighboring communities.

The reported involvement of a local vigilance brigade reflects the growing role of community self-defense groups in neighborhoods where police presence remains limited. Throughout the past two years, residents of Carrefour-Feuilles have organized to resist repeated incursions by armed gangs, often working alongside or in support of police operations. Although these groups can slow gang advances and provide valuable local intelligence, they also operate with varying degrees of organization and oversight.

The latest confrontation comes as the PNH has intensified offensive operations across the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, including recent campaigns in Kenscoff, Gressier, Tabarre, and downtown Port-auPrince. Security analysts believe gangs may be increasing pressure on secondary fronts such as Carrefour-Feuilles to divert police resources and maintain control of strategic corridors.

Carrefour-Feuilles has remained a flashpoint since major gang offensives displaced thousands of residents in 2023. Despite periodic police operations, armed groups continue to challenge security forces and test defensive positions in the surrounding communities.

Frg intensifies operations against the kraze baryè criminal gang in tabarre

On July 22, 2026, the Gang Suppression Force (FRG) announced that three suspected gang members were killed during an armed confrontation in Tabarre. According to the FRG, one of its patrols came under fire while approaching an illegal checkpoint in an area controlled by the Kraze Baryè gang. The force stated that its personnel returned fire in accordance with established rules of engagement and that no civilian casualties were reported during the operation.

The area has been under the influence and control of Vitel'Homme Innocent and the Kraze Baryè gang since 2023, when the group expanded its presence throughout Tabarre, Torcelle, and surrounding communities. Since then, the gang has been responsible for widespread criminal activity, including kidnappings for ransom, murders, armed robberies, extortion, home invasions, sexual violence, arson, and attacks on both civilians and Haitian security forces. The group has also established illegal checkpoints to control movement, collect extortion payments, and restrict access to neighborhoods under its control.

The deterioration of security in Tabarre has had significant humanitarian and economic consequences. Thousands of residents have been displaced as armed violence forced families to flee their homes. The insecurity also contributed to the suspension or closure of hundreds of businesses throughout the area, including hotels, automobile dealerships, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, fuel stations, warehouses, hospitals and numerous Haitian government offices. The sustained violence also affected diplomatic operations, contributing to repeated reductions in staffing and operational restrictions at the U.S. Embassy and other international organizations operating in the vicinity.

Vitel'Homme Innocent remains one of Haiti's most wanted gang leaders. He has been indicted in the United States on federal hostage-taking charges related to the kidnapping of U.S. citizens and has been linked to numerous attacks against Haitian civilians, police officers, and foreign nationals. In November 2023, he was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The U.S. Department of State, through its Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, continues to offer a reward of up to $2 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

Two apparent police suicides renew calls for mental health support within the pnh

The reported deaths of two Haitian National Police (PNH) officers within a 24- hour period, both believed to be suicides pending official confirmation, have renewed urgent calls for expanded mental health services within the police force.

In a statement, the Haitian National Police Union (SPNH-17) urged the government and PNH High Command to establish accessible psychological and psychiatric services, trauma counseling, and longterm support programs for officers routinely exposed to violence.

The appeal comes as many of the PNH's specialized tactical units, including SWAT, UTAG, BIM, CIMO, and BOID continue to bear the brunt of the fight against heavily armed gangs. These officers are repeatedly deployed into high-risk operations, witness traumatic violence, lose fellow officers, and often return to duty with little opportunity for rest or psychological support.

Beyond the dangers of combat, officers face constant personal threats. Many conceal their identities by wearing masks during operations because gangs have targeted police officers and their families. Numerous officers cannot afford to live in secure neighborhoods, worry about retaliation against their spouses and children, and continue serving despite modest salaries and relentless operational demands.

These cumulative pressures place officers at increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, burnout, and suicide. Addressing these invisible injuries is not only essential for the well-being of individual officers but also for maintaining an effective and resilient police force.

While international partners have made significant investments in equipment, vehicles, weapons, and tactical training, equal emphasis should now be placed on officer wellness. Expanding access to confidential counseling, trauma recovery programs, peer-support initiatives, and professional psychological services should become an integral component of international assistance to the PNH. Protecting the mental health of those on the front lines is as critical to Haiti's longterm security as providing the tools and training needed to fight the country's armed gangs.

Haiti launches major modernization project at caphaïtien international airport

The Haitian government has launched a significant modernization initiative at CapHaïtien International Airport, breaking ground on a new Diplomatic Lounge while transferring the temporary management of the existing VIP lounge to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship (MAEC). Announced during a ceremony on July 18, the project is intended to improve services for visiting diplomatic delegations, strengthen coordination between government institutions, and enhance Haiti's international image as the country's northern gateway continues to expand.

The initiative forms part of a broader investment program aimed at transforming Cap-Haïtien into a modern regional aviation hub. According to Minister of Public Works Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis, the government will invest more than US$6.5 million in airport improvements, including construction of a new domestic departure terminal, expansion of the international terminal, rehabilitation of the taxiway connecting the airport's aprons, and enlargement of aircraft parking facilities. Officials believe these upgrades will support tourism, encourage foreign investment, improve commercial connectivity, and position the airport to accommodate the return of additional international airlines.

Officials also emphasized that the new Diplomatic Lounge would serve as an important symbol of Haiti's diplomatic engagement. During construction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will oversee protocol services, official receptions, accreditation, and day-to-day operations within the current VIP lounge, while the National Airport Authority (AAN) will retain ownership of the facilities and responsibility for technical maintenance.

Pnh recruitment efforts support long-term force expansion amid security challenges

As Haiti continues to confront an evolving security crisis, the expansion of the Haitian National Police (PNH) remains a national priority. A recent analysis of the recruitment process highlights both the scale of public interest in joining the police and the challenges associated with selecting and training new officers. In March 2026, 17,880 applicants competed for 1,200 positions in the 37th promotion of the National Police Academy, reflecting the continued demand among young Haitians to serve in law enforcement.

The report notes that while the recruitment process is highly competitive, the PNH continues to face significant personnel shortages. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the PNH has an official strength of approximately 15,498 officers, although the number of personnel available for active duty is believed to be lower due to retirements, resignations, migration, and officers killed in the line of duty.

Strengthening recruitment, vetting, and professional training therefore remains essential to building a larger and more capable police force.

To address these staffing requirements, the Government of Haiti launched the P4000 Program, an ambitious initiative designed to recruit and train 4,000 new police officers over an 18-month period. The program is being implemented with substantial support from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), which has played a central role in assisting the professionalization and institutional development of the PNH for many years. Through the P4000 initiative, INL is supporting recruitment, academy training, instructor development, equipment, and institutional capacity-building to help the PNH expand while maintaining professional standards. The program represents one of the largest investments in police development in Haiti's history and is intended to strengthen the PNH's ability to respond to the country's increasingly complex security environment.

As the PNH continues to grow, the success of the P4000 Program will depend not only on increasing the number of officers but also on ensuring that new recruits receive comprehensive training, effective supervision, and continued professional development throughout their careers. Together, the Government of Haiti and its international partners view the initiative as a critical step toward building a more resilient, professional, and capable national police service equipped to meet Haiti's long-term security needs.

UN security council reiterates support for Haiti as familiar challenges persist

The United Nations Security Council held its quarterly briefing on Haiti as voter registration began in nine of the country's ten departments. Senior UN officials, Haitian government representatives, and international partners reaffirmed that restoring security and advancing the political transition must proceed together. While the meeting demonstrated continued international support for Haiti, it offered few significant policy changes or new operational announcements beyond previous Security Council sessions.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), acknowledged Haiti's ongoing security, humanitarian, and institutional challenges while pointing to recent progress in electoral preparations. Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez again called for the accelerated deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and stronger enforcement of sanctions against gang leaders, financiers, arms traffickers, and other criminal facilitators. However, these recommendations largely echoed positions already expressed by the Dominican Republic and other international partners over the past year.

GSF Special Representative Jack Christofides confirmed that the multinational force continues to expand but remains well below its authorized strength of 5,550 personnel under UN Security Council Resolution 2793. No timeline was provided for reaching that objective, and no additional troop contributions or major capability enhancements were announced during the meeting. UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma warned that gangs continue to diversify their criminal activities and target critical infrastructure, while the United Nations also reported ongoing recruitment of children by armed groups and continuing grave violations against minors.

Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin highlighted progress in voter registration, police recruitment, and security sector development, including efforts to strengthen the Haitian National Police and Armed Forces. Security Council members broadly reaffirmed support for Haiti's transition, the GSF, and upcoming elections. While the meeting reinforced continued international commitment, it produced few concrete new initiatives, reflecting that many of the priorities discussed, including expanding the GSF, strengthening the PNH, enforcing sanctions, and supporting elections, remain largely unchanged from previous Security Council briefings.

Deadly gang attack on passenger bus highlights persistent insecurity in Haiti's artibonite department

Several passengers were reportedly killed on July 16th and others injured after armed assailants attacked a passenger bus traveling between Gonaïves and L'Estère on Thursday morning. Local media attributed the attack to members of the Kokorat San Ras gang, which operates in the Lacroix-Périsse area of Haiti's Artibonite Department.

According to reports, the attackers opened fire after the bus driver allegedly refused to stop when ordered to do so by the armed group. Following the shooting, gang members reportedly blocked National Road No. 1, temporarily disrupting traffic along one of Haiti's most important transportation corridors connecting the capital with the northern regions of the country.

Local journalist Charles-Édouard Mondélus, General Manager of Radio Zoom FM in Gonaïves, stated that the gang continues to operate an illegal checkpoint and extortion point in the area. He also reported that Kokorat San Ras has expanded its presence within the TiRivière communal section of Bayonnais, where limited police presence has allowed armed groups to maintain freedom of movement and control over key roadways.

The attack underscores the continuing security challenges facing the Artibonite Department despite repeated security operations targeting criminal groups. National Road No. 1 remains a strategically important route for commercial traffic and humanitarian access, and periodic attacks and illegal checkpoints established by armed gangs continue to disrupt transportation, commerce, and the movement of civilians throughout the region.