Intensification of Criminal Violence in Lower Artibonite, the Centre Department, and Regions Located East of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince

Since March 2025, Haiti's Centre Department has experienced intensified gang violence and human rights violations. Criminal activity persists in Lower Artibonite and regions east of Port-au-Prince, with gangs strategically establishing a presence along key roadways to control routes connecting the capital to northern regions and the Dominican Republic border. This expansion poses a significant risk of spreading violence and increasing transnational trafficking, potentially destabilizing the Caribbean subregion. The UN has documented a sharp increase in killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and property destruction, with over 1,018 people killed and 620 kidnapped between October 2024 and June 2025 in the affected areas. The report also highlights the involvement of self-defense groups and the challenges faced by national authorities and the international community in addressing the crisis.