Weekly Report October 30 to November 05

43 Dead and Thousands Displaced After Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa has left a devastating impact on Haiti, where at least 43 people have been confirmed dead, 21 injured, and 13 remain missing, according to updated figures from the Civil Protection Directorate. The storm brought torrential rains and powerful winds that triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and significant property damage across more than 30 municipalities nationwide. The commune of Petit-Goâve, located in the Ouest Department, was the hardest hit, accounting for at least 25 of the reported deaths, with entire neighborhoods inundated and homes swept away by rising waters.

Across the affected regions, nearly 12,000 homes have been flooded, and critical road and agricultural infrastructure have been destroyed, leaving several communities isolated. Landslides and the overflowing of rivers have blocked access routes, hindering emergency and humanitarian operations. Civil Protection teams, supported by local responders, continue to conduct search and rescue missions, particularly in rural and mountainous zones where communications remain disrupted. Hundreds of families have been urgently evacuated, and more than 1,700 displaced persons are currently being housed in temporary shelters set up by the authorities.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports that at least ten health facilities sustained damage and that access to clean water has been compromised in multiple localities, raising concerns about waterborne disease outbreaks. Agricultural losses are also significant, threatening food security and livelihoods in already vulnerable rural communities. In response, the Haitian government has begun distributing seeds, tools, and essential goods to affected farmers as part of early recovery efforts.

International partners, including the United States government, have pledged humanitarian aid to assist with relief operations in Haiti and other parts of the northern Caribbean impacted by Melissa. However, access constraints, logistical challenges, and ongoing insecurity in parts of the country continue to complicate the delivery of assistance.

The situation remains critical as authorities work to restore infrastructure, deliver essential supplies, and assess the full extent of the damage. Humanitarian agencies warn that the death toll may continue to rise as rescue teams reach isolated communities. Hurricane Melissa’s passage marks one of the most destructive weather events Haiti has faced in recent years, underscoring the country’s deep vulnerability to climate-related disasters amid ongoing political and security instability.

PNH and GSF Conduct Targeted Anti-Gang Operations in Simon Pelé and Village Solidarité

On November 2, 2025, the Haitian National Police (PNH), supported by elements of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), launched a series of targeted operations in the densely populated neighborhoods of Simon Pelé and Village Solidarité in Port-au-Prince. The coordinated effort aimed to dismantle fortified gang positions, reclaim vital roadways, and restore state authority in areas long dominated by armed groups.

According to official statements, the joint PNH–GSF operation was planned as part of a broader campaign to stabilize northern sections of the capital and secure the corridors surrounding Haile Selassie Avenue and the Cité Militaire sector. The assault involved several elite police units, including SWAT, the Anti-Gang Tactical Unit (UTAG), and the Departmental Unit for Maintaining Order (UDMO).

Throughout the afternoon, heavy gunfire and explosions were reported as police forces engaged in prolonged exchanges with heavily armed gang members loyal to a local leader known as “Jouma.” Law enforcement succeeded in neutralizing multiple targets and dismantling fortified barricades that had blocked public roads and hindered the movement of civilians and security personnel.

Preliminary reports indicate that kamikaze-style drones were employed during the assault to strike key gang positions and observation posts. The drones reportedly targeted entrenched firing points and vehicles used by gang sentinels, allowing police units to advance under cover.

While authorities have not released an official casualty count, early field reports suggest several gang combatants were killed and others wounded, with limited but unverified civilian casualties. The operation also enabled the reopening of several key routes connecting Cité Militaire, Bernard Mevs Hospital, and Simon Pelé, which had been obstructed by makeshift fortifications and burning debris.

Security sources describe the November 2 operation as one of the largest anti-gang offensives conducted in Port-au-Prince in recent months. It underscores the PNH’s evolving coordination with the GSF and reflects a growing reliance on precision tactics and modern technology to confront entrenched gang networks operating in urban strongholds.

Deadly Attack in Gros-Morne: “Kokorat san ras” Gang Kills Three, Heightening Tensions

The town of Gros-Morne remains tense following a deadly armed assault carried out by the “Kokorat San Ras” gang on Sunday, November 2. According to local police contacts within the Haitian National Police (PNH), at least three people were fatally shot when gunmen opened fire without warning on the outskirts of Morne Marguerite, near the town center. Witnesses reported that the victims, who were near their homes at the time, sustained severe wounds to vital organs and later died after being transported to a nearby hospital.

The sudden burst of gunfire caused panic among residents, forcing many to flee for safety. PNH sources described the situation in Gros-Morne as “extremely tense,” noting that fear now grips much of the local population. Units of the PNH were deployed to the scene shortly after the incident, but as of early evening, no arrests had been reported. The police have since reinforced patrols in and around Morne Marguerite in an effort to deter further violence and reassure residents.

The mayor of Gros-Morne, Hibert Sénéac, condemned the attack and appealed for stronger government intervention. “Our citizens are living in fear. The state must act to protect the people of Gros-Morne,” he stated. His remarks reflect the growing frustration among local authorities who have repeatedly requested additional support to confront escalating gang violence across the Artibonite region.

Despite increased police presence, security conditions in Gros-Morne remain fragile. The PNH continues to struggle with limited personnel, poor mobility, and insufficient equipment to effectively confront heavily armed groups. The “Kokorat San Ras” gang, reportedly based in Ti-Bwadòm, has been linked to multiple attacks and atrocities targeting both residents and convoys traveling between Gonaïves and Gros-Morne. Law enforcement officials fear that the group is attempting to consolidate control over the entire commune, adding to the growing instability in one of Haiti’s most volatile regions.

Haiti’s Electoral Council Acknowledges Elections “Materially Impossible” Before 2026 but Continues Preparations Under U.S. Pressure

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has announced that holding national elections before the end of the Transitional Presidential Council’s (CPT) mandate on February 7, 2026, is “materially impossible” due to persistent insecurity and insufficient funding. CEP President Jacques Desrosiers confirmed that while organizing credible elections under current conditions is not feasible, the council will continue technical and logistical preparations to ensure readiness once stability returns. Speaking on Radio Mega, Desrosiers stated, “It is materially impossible to hold elections before February 7,” but emphasized that “the CEP will technically do everything required at the level of the Electoral Council to organize the elections.”

Desrosiers explained that the estimated cost of the electoral process is approximately $137 million, of which only half has been secured. The CEP continues refining its electoral calendar, budget framework, and draft decree defining eligibility, polling procedures, and ballot-counting mechanisms for submission to the CPT and publication in Le Moniteur. The CPT has pledged to prioritize electoral financing, announcing nearly $65 million in disbursements, including three billion gourdes (about $23 million) for political party support. International partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), manage a joint fund of around $63 million, though no additional commitments have been confirmed.

The CPT, established in 2024 under a Caricom-brokered agreement following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, faces growing criticism for its limited progress. With only three months remaining in its mandate, Haiti remains without a single elected official since 2023. The council has attempted to demonstrate progress by approving over 220 political parties and launching capacity-building initiatives on electoral law and political ethics. CPT advisors Louis Gérard Gilles and Emmanuel Vertilaire both confirmed that the electoral process will continue beyond the council’s term, stressing that preparations must persist until credible elections can be held.

Meanwhile, the United States has intensified diplomatic pressure to avoid an open-ended transition. In early October, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Henry T. Wooster warned CPT members and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé not to use constitutional reform or insecurity as excuses to delay elections, asserting that “political positions are not for life.” The CPT later canceled its reform campaign following these remarks. In a defiant message, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, head of the Viv Ansanm coalition, declared that “no elections will happen without the gangs’ consent,” highlighting the severe challenges to any political process as the CEP continues its technical groundwork amid instability.

U.S. Denounces Haitian Gang Leader Jeff “Gwo Lwa” Larose as Canaan Network Expands Across Northern Port-au-Prince

The United States government has formally identified Jeff Canaan Larose, alias “Jeff Gwo Lwa,” as one of Haiti’s most dangerous criminal actors, escalating international pressure on the powerful gang boss whose Canaan-based network controls key corridors north of the capital. Larose’s organization widely known as the Canaan Gang or “Talibans of Canaan” has been implicated in a litany of violent crimes, including kidnappings for ransom, extortion, arson, sexual and gender-based violence, and the forced recruitment of children. The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince issued a public warning in November 2025 labeling Larose a violent offender and urging citizens to report his movements to authorities.

Despite the hurricane that devastated communities, terrorist gangs continue to make Haitians suffer. We even see some individuals pretending online to help victims, when in fact they are the ones causing chaos in the country.

Recently, Jeff Canaan Larose pretended to act in the interest of the community during the Saut-d’Eau pilgrimage, distributing money to locals. Like other gang leaders, he posted videos of himself giving gifts to children. This hypocritical act hides the truth: the Talibans of Canaan and other gangs are ruthless terrorists without mercy or compassion. Larose is responsible for brutal attacks in Mirebalais last March, where he burned down the police station and later engaged in kidnappings and extortion, forcing young men into his gang. His gang also destroyed the Bon Repos police station with bulldozers, leaving the community in fear. The Haitian people must see him for what he is: a violent terrorist, an enemy of peace and families.

Security and diplomatic reporting place Larose’s core area of responsibility (AOR) across the Canaan, Onaville, and Jérusalem settlements on the northern edge of Port-au-Prince, where his network maintains a constant armed presence. The gang exerts control over critical sections of Route Nationale No. 1 (RN1), operating checkpoints and imposing “tolls” on travelers between Port-au-Prince, Bon Repos, and the Artibonite region. Additional forward-operating zones extend into the Cabaret–Arcahaie axis, and further east into the Central Plateau towns of Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau, where Larose’s men have staged intimidation campaigns, broadcast propaganda, and infiltrated local events. Analysts describe the network’s command model as hub-and-spoke, radiating from the fortified Canaan hillsides into surrounding roadways and markets, while relying on temporary alliances with other armed groups to reinforce its reach.

Larose’s gang sustains its operations through systematic extortion and abduction rackets. Residents, transporters, and business owners along RN1 are compelled to pay weekly “security fees” under threat of violence. Travelers and parishioners moving between communes are frequently kidnapped and held in makeshift safe houses until ransoms are paid. Intelligence sources confirm that mobile-money transfers and phone-based intermediaries are used to manage negotiations and launder proceeds.

The gang also orchestrates armed assaults and arson attacks against police infrastructure to eliminate state presence. In Bon Repos, PNH outposts have been burned and looted in operations aimed at asserting dominance. Larose’s recruits—many of them minors coerced into service—act as couriers, lookouts, and fighters, while sexual violence is used as a method of control. His group has also hijacked local radio frequencies, rebranding them as “Taliban FM” to broadcast threats and boast about territorial victories. Reports cite his command of armored pickups, motorcycles, and smuggling routes for arms procurement, with courtyards and garages in Canaan serving as logistics hubs.

Larose’s network has carried out large-scale kidnappings and road ambushes, using spike strips and crossfire to trap vehicles. Witnesses and rights monitor report mass killings of civilians during turf wars and reprisal attacks, often leaving bodies in public view to instill fear. His fighters have invaded religious sanctuaries, including the Saut-d’Eau pilgrimage site, and have been recorded issuing threats over seized media channels proclaiming, “We will walk on dead bodies and shoot without stopping.” The gang’s brutality, combined with its control of key transportation corridors, has disrupted humanitarian access, paralyzed trade, and displaced thousands of residents from the greater Port-au-Prince area.

The U.S. Embassy’s public advisory against Larose forms part of a coordinated international effort to degrade Haiti’s gang economy. The U.S. warning follows European Union sanctions listing Larose for kidnapping, homicide, child recruitment, and gender-based violence, as well as Canadian sanctions targeting him for “actions that compromise peace, security, and stability.” American diplomats have reiterated that “positions of de facto power will not be legitimized” and that local communities must work with lawful authorities to reclaim territory from armed control.

Beyond Haiti’s borders, multilateral partners are aligning sanctions, travel bans, and asset freezes to sever Larose’s access to funding, weapons, and supply chains. Washington has paired its criminal designations with diplomatic appeals for accelerated security reforms and credible elections, warning that gang coercion must not dictate Haiti’s political timeline. The cumulative pressure of financial, legal, and reputational is intended to restrict Larose’s operations while reinforcing the Haitian National Police (PNH) through international support packages.

Images of Larose’s fortified mansion compound have spread across social media, illustrating the obscene wealth that Haiti’s gang economy can generate. The property features vast tiled courtyards, ornate stairways, lion statues at the gates, and a resort-style swimming pool emblazoned with its insignia complete with an integrated bar, liquor shelves, and a wall-mounted television. The façade’s marble-gray stonework, flood-lit balconies, and multi-bay garages project both luxury and intimidation.

For the people of Canaan, however, this display of extravagance is a daily reminder of the suffering financed by gang violence. Residents continue to face ransom extractions, forced displacement, and extortion, while Larose’s estate stands as a monument to impunity, a literal fortress built from illicit proceeds. Analysts describe the mansion not just as a home but as a propaganda tool, used to convey permanence and dominance to subordinates and rivals alike.

Cholera Outbreak Deepens in Post-Hurricane Haiti

The Haitian government has declared a health emergency following a resurgence of cholera in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The Minister of Public Health and Population confirmed that the country has registered 2,900 cases and 20 deaths linked to the disease. The outbreak has hit hardest in the West, Artibonite, and Nippes departments, where flooding and contaminated water sources have worsened sanitation conditions and accelerated the spread of infection.

Heavy rains and stagnant floodwaters have polluted wells and rivers, leaving thousands without access to clean drinking water. Entire communities are now facing heightened risks of waterborne disease as the storm’s debris and damaged infrastructure have crippled sanitation systems.

The Ministry of Public Health has launched a national response plan that includes reinforced epidemiological surveillance, the deployment of emergency medical teams, and the distribution of chlorine tablets and other water-treatment products. The government is also reviving community education campaigns focused on hygiene and prevention, urging citizens to treat water before consumption and maintain proper sanitation practices.

Doctors Without Borders and other humanitarian organizations have joined national authorities in setting up temporary treatment centers and mobile clinics to manage severe dehydration cases. The resurgence underscores Haiti’s ongoing vulnerability to cholera, which has historically followed major natural disasters when sanitation collapses and displacement occurs.

With thousands still displaced by Hurricane Melissa and limited access to clean water across affected regions, public health experts warn that the outbreak could expand rapidly unless containment measures are sustained and international support is promptly mobilized.

OCNH Highlights Poor Working Conditions in Grand’Anse Police Stations

The Organisation des Citoyens pour une Nouvelle Haïti (OCNH) has released a report detailing poor working conditions across several police stations in Haiti’s Grand’Anse department. Following field visits from October 14 to 16, 2025, the organization identified significant deficiencies in infrastructure and basic resources at the police stations of Abricot, Anse-d’Hainault, Roseaux, Pestel, Corail, and Jérémie.

According to the report, many facilities lack essential amenities such as functional toilets, suitable dormitories, and proper work equipment. OCNH noted that these shortcomings affect both the health and morale of police officers and limit their operational effectiveness. The group urged the relevant authorities to take steps to improve these conditions and strengthen overall service delivery.

The Grand’Anse region faces long-standing logistical and resource challenges due to its remote geography and difficult transport routes. Recent weather disruptions, including the effects of Hurricane Melissa, have further complicated efforts to maintain consistent supply lines and infrastructure upkeep.

In its recommendations, OCNH called for immediate repairs to sanitation facilities, the improvement of living quarters, and the provision of adequate materials to support daily police operations. The organization also proposed that a monitoring mechanism be established to ensure regular oversight and maintenance of police facilities.

While the report focuses on Grand’Anse, OCNH noted that similar issues persist in other regional police stations across the country. The organization emphasized that improving basic conditions would help ensure more stable, effective, and professional law-enforcement services throughout Haiti.

Armed Groups Expand Operations in Kenscoff’s Rural Districts, Agriculture and Security Severely Affected

Multiple sources confirm a sustained rise in gang activity across rural areas of the Kenscoff municipality, with localities such as Obléon, Furcy, Kafou Badio, and Invité now considered partially or fully outside government control. The escalation—linked to the gang coalition Viv Ansanm—has disrupted farming, displaced residents, and weakened law-enforcement capacity in one of Haiti’s key agricultural regions.

According to a February 2025 BINUH Flash Report, at least 262 people were killed and 66 injured between late January and late March 2025 in attacks affecting Kenscoff and parts of Carrefour. Among the victims were civilians, armed-group members, and several police officers. The report also identified more than 1,600 internally displaced persons during that period as families fled violent incidents in the region.

Independent investigations by Ayibopost and AlterPresse confirm that armed groups have repeatedly targeted farmers and agricultural cooperatives in Kenscoff, forcing many to abandon fields or reduce production. A major kidnapping incident in early August 2025 in Obléon—where eight people, including a foreign national, were abducted from a shelter—further underscored the growing insecurity in the commune.

The mayor of Kenscoff, Jean Massillon, told IciHaïti that several communal sections, particularly in the upland zones of Furcy and Obléon, have come under the control of heavily armed men. He stated that police operations have been limited by access constraints and a lack of sufficient personnel and vehicles to maintain permanent presence in remote areas.

Recent reports from Le Quotidien 509 describe renewed violence in late October 2025, including armed clashes and attacks on farmworkers in Obléon. While casualty figures could not be independently verified, residents have reported continued incidents of intimidation, looting, and property destruction.

Agricultural disruption remains a major concern. Kenscoff is a principal supplier of vegetables and root crops to Port-au-Prince markets, and production declines have contributed to price increases across the capital. Farmers cite insecurity, transport blockages, and extortion as key factors behind the downturn.

As of early November 2025, there has been no confirmed permanent deployment of the Haitian National Police (PNH), the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), or foreign forces such as the Kenya-led Gang Suppression Force (GSF) within the affected zones. Limited police patrols continue on the main Kenscoff road, but high-altitude localities — including Obléon and Invité — remain vulnerable to irregular armed activity.

Sources:

· Le Quotidien 509 (Nov 3 2025)

· Ayibopost (Sept 2025)

· AlterPresse (Aug 2025)

· IciHaïti (Oct 2025)

· BINUH Flash Report (Feb 22 2025)

INL-Led Prison Reforms Show Measurable Progress in Haiti Despite Persistent Challenges

The Association of Volunteers for the Reintegration of Prisoners (AVRED-Haiti) recently conducted an assessment of the Cap-Haïtien Civil Prison, revealing significant overcrowding and deteriorated conditions. However, amid these challenges, progress made under U.S.-funded prison reform and rehabilitation initiatives—particularly through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)—is beginning to yield tangible improvements in health care delivery, sanitation, and human-rights compliance across Haiti’s correctional network.

Over the past decade, INL has been the principal international partner supporting Haiti’s prison system under its Corrections and Rule of Law Program, working closely with the Direction de l’Administration Pénitentiaire (DAP). INL-funded initiatives have provided infrastructure rehabilitation, health and sanitation upgrades, and specialized training for prison administrators, health workers, and correctional officers.

Recent INL programs include the Haiti Prisons Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Program, designed to modernize health services in detention facilities. The project has provided critical medical equipment—such as mobile digital X-ray and GeneXpert tuberculosis detection systems, alongside water-treatment improvements and food-security support. These interventions, valued at approximately US $830,000, have strengthened the ability of prison clinics to identify and manage communicable diseases and improve detainee nutrition standards.

INL has also partnered with Creative Corrections, LLC, under a multi-year technical advisory contract valued at US $1.2 million, to provide expert guidance to DAP leadership. This partnership has helped implement operational audits, enhance staff accountability mechanisms, and improve compliance with international correctional standards.

Beyond health and management systems, INL invested more than US $5 million in construction and rehabilitation projects at facilities such as Fort-Liberté, Cabaret, and Petit-Goâve, easing overcrowding pressures and enabling improved inmate classification and separation by risk level. These modernized facilities were built with hurricane-resistant materials and include improved ventilation and sanitation systems critical upgrades in a tropical environment.

INL’s prison initiatives are part of a wider U.S.-supported framework to strengthen the rule of law in Haiti. Through coordination with the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), INL funding has been leveraged to ensure coherent emergency health response planning during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Melissa.

Jointly with the UNDP-led Access to Justice Project, which received US $4.5 million from the UN Peacebuilding Fund, INL-supported programs have helped reduce pretrial detention through targeted case review and legal-aid coordination. These collective efforts reflect an integrated approach linking security, judicial reform, and human-rights protection.

Despite these achievements, Haiti’s prisons, including the Cap-Haïtien facility continue to face structural challenges linked to national resource constraints and chronic overcrowding. The prison, originally designed for 500 inmates, currently houses 841 individuals. AVRED-Haiti’s recent report highlighted deficiencies in sanitation and staffing, underscoring the need for continued investment.

However, INL’s approach provides a model of sustained engagement. By combining infrastructure rehabilitation, staff professionalization, and medical capacity-building, it is gradually improving conditions in a system long underfunded and overburdened. Ongoing U.S. engagement, particularly through INL’s corrections advisors and logistics teams remains critical to ensuring that improvements in prison management and human dignity are sustained nationwide.

While AVRED-Haiti’s findings illustrate ongoing challenges, they also underscore the importance of INL’s role as a stabilizing and reform-oriented partner in Haiti’s correctional system. Through targeted funding, technical expertise, and coordination with multilateral agencies, INL has advanced measurable improvements in health care access, sanitation, and professional standards across multiple prisons. Continued collaboration between the Haitian government, INL, and international partners offers the best path toward transforming Haiti’s correctional facilities into secure, humane, and rehabilitative institutions aligned with international norms.

Cap-Haïtien Prison Conditions Under Scrutiny as INL-Led Reforms Show Tangible Progress

A recent inspection by the Association of Volunteers for the Reintegration of Prisoners (AVRED-Haiti) at the Cap-Haïtien Civil Prison has renewed attention on the state of Haiti’s correctional facilities. The report, released in October 2025, describes severe overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure, and strained health services. However, it also highlights meaningful progress achieved through ongoing U.S. Department of State support under the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), which continues to drive systemic improvements in health, sanitation, and professional standards within the Haitian prison network.

According to AVRED-Haiti, the Cap-Haïtien prison currently houses 841 detainees, exceeding its official capacity of 500 by more than 65 percent. Among them are 795 men, of whom 122 are convicted, 30 women, including 5 convicted, and 16 minors, with one convicted youth. The association reports that approximately 85 percent of detainees remain in pretrial detention, some for over two years without judicial review. The facility’s medical clinic, staffed by one doctor and one nurse, treats an estimated 20 inmates suffering from infectious and skin-related diseases. Cells designed for 12 people are often held between 30 and 40, and the prison experiences power outages for up to 20 hours a day. AVRED-Haiti’s observers also noted poor ventilation, overflowing sanitation facilities, and limited access to nutritious food, with most prisoners receiving two simple meals per day.

Despite these harsh conditions, it should be noted that the U.S. INL’s long-term investments have produced visible improvements in several key areas. Over the past decade, INL has been the leading international partner supporting Haiti’s correctional reforms. Its programs have funded infrastructure projects, technical assistance, and capacity-building within the national prison administration. More than five million U.S. dollars have been invested in constructing or rehabilitating modern facilities in Fort-Liberté, Cabaret, and Petit-Goâve, each designed to increase capacity, improve sanitation, and comply with international human-rights standards.

The INL’s Haiti Prisons Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Program, valued at approximately eight hundred thirty thousand dollars, has enhanced access to healthcare through mobile digital X-ray systems and GeneXpert tuberculosis testing equipment. The program has also improved prison water systems and introduced fortified food supplements to improve inmate nutrition. Through a one point two-million-dollar partnership with Creative Corrections, LLC, the INL has also embedded U.S. corrections advisors within the Haitian Directorate of Prison Administration to train wardens and staff in modern inmate classification and security procedures.

The U.S. government’s involvement extends beyond infrastructure and training. During the COVID-19 pandemic, INL-supported initiatives helped the prison service develop health-screening protocols, distribute protective equipment, and coordinate with the Pan American Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme to contain outbreaks. These combined interventions have helped reduce disease transmission rates in prisons and improved hygiene standards.

Parallel international efforts have reinforced this work. The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund contributed about four and a half million dollars from 2020 to 2022 to improve access to justice, legal aid, and detention oversight. However, INL remains the largest bilateral donor supporting Haiti’s prison and justice systems, maintaining continuous engagement for over a decade.

While Cap-Haïtien’s prison remains overcrowded and under-resourced, observers note that the institution’s basic services have improved gradually. Food delivery schedules are more consistent, medical supplies are available more regularly, and internal management procedures have become more structured. These modest but concrete gains underscore the growing impact of INL’s sustained engagement and technical guidance.

The AVRED-Haiti report concludes that while serious challenges persist, Haiti’s detention system has seen measurable improvements thanks to international cooperation. INL’s strategic approach, combining infrastructure rehabilitation, health support, and staff professionalization, has provided a foundation for progress. The report emphasizes that continued investment and close coordination with Haitian authorities remain essential to ensure humane, secure, and rehabilitative prison conditions in line with international standards.

Coordinated Operation in Lascahobas Neutralizes Ten-Armed Gang Members

Between October 27 and 28, 2025, the Haitian National Police (PNH), supported by local self-defense groups, conducted a large-scale coordinated operation in the Sarazin area of Lascahobas, Centre Department. The intervention resulted in the neutralization of ten heavily armed individuals identified as members of a network involved in aggravated robbery, extortion, and widespread violence against civilians.

Contacts in the PNH reported that the action was based on targeted intelligence and weeks of preparation involving trained local residents. The joint task force surrounded and assaulted a gang hideout in Sarazin, a locality long associated with criminal activity. Ten armed suspects were either captured or killed during the assault. Three members of the civilian defense units were seriously injured but remain in stable condition, according to medical sources.

The residents of Lascahobas welcomed the operation, expressing relief and calling for greater logistical and material support for the PNH to sustain anti-gang operations in the region. In the neighboring Artibonite department, heightened tensions persist, particularly in Désarmes, where clashes between local militias and suspected gang members occurred on October 26, leaving several suspects dead and minor injuries among local defense volunteers.

This operation highlights the growing coordination between national security forces and community protection networks. Local authorities emphasize that such partnerships are vital to counter the expansion of armed groups in rural and semi-urban zones. The collaboration aims to strengthen intelligence gathering, community vigilance, and the decentralization of security efforts to restore order in areas long neglected by the state.

While the PNH has not formally named the gang targeted in the October 27–28 operation, multiple sources indicate that the Sarazin/Lascahobas sector has been under pressure from elements of the Viv Ansanm coalition, particularly affiliates of 400 Mawozo and Canaan. These groups have been active along the Mirebalais–Saut-d’Eau–Lascahobas corridor since mid-2025.

Weekly GSF Advancement Report- Period: Oct 30 – Nov 5, 2025

1) What’s new this week (publicly verifiable)

• UN sanctions regime extended one year (S/RES/2794, 2025): The Security Council renewed Haiti’s sanctions (travel bans, asset freezes, arms embargo) for another 12 months. This isn’t GSF hardware/personnel, but it shapes the mission’s operating environment and supply interdiction.

  
  

2) Deployments & personnel

• No confirmed new GSF troop arrivals publicly reported in the last 7 days. Most coverage this week is analysis/recap of the GSF transition and capability gaps rather than fresh headcount.

  
  

3) Equipment & logistics

• No new equipment deliveries publicly confirmed this week. The most recent on-record shipment remains ~20 armored vehicles delivered in October. (Included for context.)

  
  

4) Pledges / funding

• No new state pledges publicly announced this week. Recent commentary continues to flag shortfalls in personnel, equipment, and voluntary funding as key risks to ramp-up.

  
  

5) Mandate / structure

• GSF framework unchanged this week. The September 30 transition authorization and anticipated model (UNSOH support office + burden-sharing) still stand; no fresh structural decisions noted in the last 7 days.

Open sources in the last week are light on concrete, new arrivals or kit. If you’re making operational plans (air/ground movement, convoy support, facility upgrades), assume status quo on GSF strength until we see verifiable landing pages (government releases, UNSOH/BINUH notes, reputable wire photos, or embassy statements).