Mourners file into a church in Haiti where gangs killed dozens of people in latest rampage

Over a hundred mourners gathered at a church in Kenscoff, Haiti, on Wednesday to pay their respects to the victims of a recent gang attack. The funerals were held for two brothers and three of their cousins, who were among the 47 people killed when gangs attacked the tranquil farming community on August 23. The attack was one of the worst mass kidnappings in Haiti's recent history, with gangs abducting more than 50 others.

After days of negotiations, a gang leader eventually released six children and seven women, but only after intervention from community leaders and UNICEF.

Marta Hurtado, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, revealed that around 150 heavily armed gang members were involved in the attack. She stated that the killers first executed 13 people who tried to flee, before pursuing 50 others who had taken refuge inside the church where the funerals were held. The gang members executed 22 more in the church courtyard and 12 others outside the church.

Haiti's Civil Protection Agency official, Patrique Saint-Hilaire, announced that the government intends to provide support to the families of the deceased. So far, 17 of the 47 victims have been buried. The area remains under red alert, as residents are still traumatized by the tragedy. Friends and family of the victims have organized protests and vigils, accusing the police of either complicity or negligence in the attack.

The National Police is investigating the incident, and officials are determining whether the gang's actions were due to complicity or negligence. Anger over the killings persists, and mourners were unwilling to speak to journalists on Thursday, fearing retaliation. Some people even attacked a few journalists, including an AP photographer who received medical attention.

This latest attack occurs as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in over a decade. Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and large areas in Haiti's central region and beyond. They are also attempting to seize territory in Kenscoff. Gang violence has displaced a record of nearly 1.5 million people across Haiti, with over 3,050 reported deaths from January to June, according to the UN.