Haiti: Elections postponed as gangs adapt to security crackdown, Security Council hears

The briefing came two weeks after presidential and legislative elections planned for December 13 were postponed indefinitely, and the top UN official in the country warned against setting a new date without a realistic assessment of whether the vote can be held.

Key points

• 1,123 Haitians were killed and 440 injured in gang-related violence between July and early October
• Sexual violence remains widespread, with 689 women and girls reported being raped by gang members in July and August
• The Gang Suppression Force authorized by the Security Council has not yet been fully deployed

Change tactics

In Haiti, security forces are intensifying their operations, but the gangs are not giving up. They are adapting their tactics, increasing reprisals against civilians and spreading violence to rural areas, according to the Secretary-General’s latest report.

“What is particularly worrying is the ability of these gangs to adapt their tactics as security operations intensify,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the top UN official in Haiti.

Armed groups increasingly use hostage-taking, intimidation and reprisals against civilians to defend their territory and challenge state authority.

Deadly attack

The attacks carried out on August 23 and 24 in Kenscoff, a mountain town southeast of the capital, Port-au-Prince, illustrate this strategy.

At least 47 people were killed, 22 injured, and 52 people were taken hostage, 13 of whom were later released thanks to a local initiative supported by the UN.

In the West and Artibonite departments, 241 people were killed for allegedly fighting gangs.

Other attacks – especially at Saint-Michel-de-l’Atalaye, Marigot, and Léogâne – suggest that spread of violence to rural areas. Armed groups also target agricultural land, housing and public infrastructure.

Security forces operations also contributed to the rising death toll. They account for 52 percent of Haitians killed or injured since the start of July, or 808 people, including 148 people not associated with gangs.

GSF is a work in progress

Facing this violence, Security CouncilThe Gang Suppression Force, which is logistically supported by the UN, continues to deploy its troops.

As of October 12, they had 1,563 members in uniform, far fewer than the 5,550 members authorized by the Security Council. The group has primarily established bases in the Artibonite region, outside the capital.

However, armed groups still have the ability to retaliate.

On Sunday, an armored vehicle carrying Salvadoran soldiers from the force was attacked in Croix-des-Bouquets, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. Four soldiers remained missing on Monday, according to media reports.

Power vacuum

For Ruiz Massieu, reclaiming territory is not enough.

“Experience shows that security operations alone cannot produce lasting stabilization,” he warned, calling for the permanent restoration of state presence and the development of disarmament and reintegration programs, particularly for children recruited by gangs.

This persistent insecurity also endangers the return of democracy, he said.

Presidential and legislative elections, originally scheduled for December 13, have been postponed indefinitely. Haiti has not held national elections since 2016.

However, preparations continue. More than 35 political parties and groups and 3,500 candidates have registeredaccording to Mr. Ruiz Massieu. But on October 5, only 759,257 potential voters were on the list, out of an estimated total of 6.5 million voters. Insecurity and mass displacement make holding elections even more difficult.

“Setting a new date for elections without a realistic assessment of their feasibility will only erode public trust and the credibility of Haiti’s institutions,” he warned.

Humanitarian crisis

Adding to the political uncertainty is the humanitarian crisis.

Nearly 1.5 million people have fled their homesincluding more than 740,000 children.

That The economy is expected to experience contraction for seven consecutive yearswhile the UN’s 2026 humanitarian plan is only about half funded.

Therefore, the country is still faced with two emergencies: restoring security essential to holding elections, without which the restoration of democratic institutions will not be achieved.

For in-depth coverage of Monday’s Security Council meeting, click Here.