Displaced persons in the Artibonite department rush out of their neighbourhoods, carrying some personal effects•©️photo: UN
Artibonite, 9 April 2026.- In a report by the United Nations, released this Thursday, 9 April, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) presented a new cycle of armed violence in Bas-Artibonite illustrating the continued worsening of insecurity in Haiti and its lasting humanitarian consequences.
Between 28 and 31 March 2026, attacks attributed to the armed group « Gran Grif » In the locality of Jean Denis, between 19 and 70 people were killed and several hundred injured, according to humanitarian sources.
The violence caused a massive displacement of the population. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 5,291 persons, divided into 1,359 households, fled the area. The majority (81%) found shelter with foster families, while others settled in already saturated sites. The municipality of Dessalines alone receives more than half of the displaced.
On the ground, the situation remains extremely volatile. Housing has been burned down and access to affected areas remains limited for humanitarian actors, complicating the full assessment of losses and needs, confirms the organization. Several wounded, including a minor, were taken into care at Claire Blessed Hospital in Dessalines, according to the Communal Committee for Civil Protection.
Beyond this episode, this crisis is part of a national context marked by persistent threats from gang homes. For several years, the violence of armed groups has forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes throughout the country, aggravating an already critical humanitarian situation.
The needs of the affected populations remain urgent: food, medical care, shelter, access to safe drinking water and protection services, especially for children. In response to this emergency, several humanitarian organizations initiated initial responses, including the distribution of hygiene kits and psychosocial support for children.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in collaboration with its partners, continues to coordinate interventions. The Rapid Response Mechanism includes assistance to up to 1,500 households in the host areas.
As the attacks continue in some localities, this new wave of displacement is adding to an already worrying record, revealing the scale of the security and humanitarian crisis that has been shaking Haiti for several years.
W.E.
