UN condemns gang attack in Haiti that killed at least 40
By The Guardian, September 14, 2025The UN secretary-general has condemned the reported killing of at least 40 people during an attack by armed gangs in a fishing village north of Haiti’s capital.
Media in Haiti widely reported that the attack took place on Thursday night in Labodrie. It is another sign of escalating gang violence that has spread outside the capital.
“The secretary-general is alarmed by the levels of violence rocking Haiti and urges the Haitian authorities to ensure that perpetrators of these and all other human rights abuses and violations are brought to justice,” the UN said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the national police declined to comment on the alleged killings.
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Haitian media reported that gangs set Labodrie on fire after the killing of a gang leader who goes by the name Vladimir.
He was a member of a gang alliance known as Viv Ansanm that the US declared a terrorist organisation in May.
The US State Department said the Viv Ansanm alliance was among the primary causes of instability and violence in Haiti.
Its members have taken control of large swaths of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and spread to surrounding areas.
Just two weeks ago, Guterres addressed the UN Security Council, painting a grim picture of Haiti’s unravelling state.
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“State authority is crumbling,” he said, as armed groups tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince and surrounding regions, forcing families to flee and disrupting daily life.
With six million people in need of aid and 1.3 million displaced, Haiti’s humanitarian crisis is deepening.
Yet less than 10 per cent of the $908 million appeal has been funded.
“Shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded,” the UN chief said, warning that 1.7 million people may receive no assistance at all.