Drone attack in Haiti's gang-controlled slum kills children, raises questions about accountability

A drone attack in a gang-controlled slum in Port-au-Prince killed at least eight children and wounded six others Saturday night, relatives and activists said Monday, as they blamed police for the strike. The explosions unfolded in Cité Soleil, a neighborhood controlled by Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang coalition the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. One of its leaders, Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue, has vowed to avenge the attacks, residents said, amid a toll that relatives described as higher than initial reports.

The National Human Rights Defense Network said two exploding drones were launched in the Simon Pelé section of Cité Soleil as the gang leader Albert Steevenson, known as Djouma, was preparing to celebrate his birthday by distributing gifts to children. The group said Steevenson was surrounded by celebrants when the blasts occurred. Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, called for accountability, noting that authorities had yet to issue any official statement two days after the incident. He asked who ultimately would shoulder responsibility for the attack and whether the prime minister, the transitional presidential council, private security firms, or police leadership would answer.

Relatives described the human cost in their own words. Claudia Bobrun, 30, said she watched a video of her eight-year-old daughter after the blast and broke into tears. "This is my daughter," she said, her voice cracking as she showed the footage. Michelin Florville, 60, recalled that the explosion killed two of his grandchildren, ages three and seven, and his 32-year-old son. "People were running right and left," he said, adding that he was near the point where the first blast occurred. Nanouse Mertelia, 37, said she was inside her home when she heard the sound and rushed outside to find her son, who had left moments earlier to eat. She described him as having had a leg and an arm blown off; she said he told her, "Come get me, come get me, please mama," before he died on the way to the hospital. The National Human Rights Defense Network later said three civilians and four suspected gang members were among those killed, with seven other gunmen injured. Some residents, however, put the toll higher, saying the overall death count from the incident reached at least 13.

The attack comes amid a broader debate about who is responsible for security operations in Haiti. A new task force created earlier this year has operated outside the oversight of the National Police and employed the use of explosive drones. The unit was described as consisting of certain police elements and private contractors. The use of foreign private security contractors has drawn attention as the government seeks to counter rampant gang violence while the U.N.-backed mission in Haiti remains under-resourced. The UN mission has about 991 personnel, far short of the 2,500 envisioned, and its trust fund holds roughly $112 million—about 14% of the $800 million a year the mission is said to need.

On Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres met with Laurent Saint-Cyr, the president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. A U.N. statement said they agreed that urgent international action was needed to help restore security. Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of State, reiterated a call for a broader international effort at U.N. headquarters on Monday, telling reporters that the time for action is now and that a dedicated gang-suppression force should be considered. "This is not a crisis that can be ignored or deferred," he said.

The attack follows a pattern that rights groups say has persisted since March: explosive drone operations have killed and wounded civilians, but leaders of the associated gangs have continued to move in ways that appear increasingly confrontational with state institutions. Activists pointed to a similar drone strike earlier this month in downtown Port-au-Prince that reportedly resulted in numerous civilian deaths, underscoring the urgent questions about accountability for such operations and the protection of civilians in anti-gang efforts.

The violence in Haiti’s capital intensifies a political and security crisis that has seen the government lean on foreign contractors and international partners to bolster a police force that remains underfunded and understaffed. Fritz Alphonse Jean, who led the transitional council in June, said the government was engaging foreign contractors but declined to identify the firm or discuss its cost. Advocates worry that outsourcing security tasks can complicate accountability and complicate the chain of command during armed operations.

The broader international context remains unsettled as the U.N. continues to grapple with funding gaps while trying to support a Kenyan-led, U.N.-backed mission in the country. Haitian officials and international partners have stressed that more resources and stronger coordination are essential to reduce the violence affecting civilians and to restore confidence in state institutions.

In Port-au-Prince’s current climate, residents and rights groups say the use of drones—whether by the police, private contractors, or other security forces—must be conducted with strict civilian protections to prevent further loss of life among noncombatants. The struggle to achieve accountability—amid competing claims over responsibility for the operation—highlights the fragility of Haiti’s security apparatus as it confronts a persistent, multifaceted crisis.

The international community has signaled willingness to assist, but observers warn that sustained, coordinated action will be required to stabilize the capital and create a framework in which security operations do not erode public trust or human rights protections. As officials continue to investigate and respond to the incident, Haitians in Cité Soleil and across Port-au-Prince await clarity on who will answer for the deaths and how future operations will be conducted to minimize civilian harm.