A stark United Nations assessment has revealed Haiti’s escalating humanitarian catastrophe, with nearly 6,000 fatalities and over 2,700 injuries documented throughout 2025. The comprehensive report from the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) details a devastating fourth quarter alone, recording 1,523 killings and 806 injuries between October and December.
The analysis indicates that criminal gangs maintained persistent control over portions of Port-au-Prince throughout 2025, though law enforcement operations successfully prevented further territorial expansion. These armed groups continued systematic human rights violations including targeted assassinations, widespread kidnappings, extortion networks, property destruction, and child trafficking for criminal exploitation.
Beyond the capital, rural regions including Artibonite and Centre departments faced indiscriminate assaults as gangs attempted to consolidate power. Agricultural communities suffered particularly severe targeting, with attacks on farmers and their livelihoods triggering mass displacement, economic collapse, and intensified humanitarian needs.
The report identifies a complex security landscape where approximately 6% of casualties resulted from actions by self-defense groups and participants in the ‘Bwa Kalé’ movement targeting alleged gang collaborators.
Notably, over 62% of recorded casualties occurred during law enforcement operations, some conducted with support from a private military company employing drone technology and helicopter strikes. This foreign security contractor significantly expanded its operational reach beyond Port-au-Prince and Kenscoff into new territories including Cabaret and Pétion-ville. Airstrikes resulted in at least 32 civilian casualties, including two young girls.
The UN document further highlights ongoing allegations of summary executions involving police personnel, while noting three officers killed and five wounded during the quarter, alongside one injury within the FRG forces.