Between December 6 and December 11, more than 207 individuals were killed in a massacre in Wharf Jérémie, a neighborhood in Cité Soleil, Haiti, according to a United Nations investigation released on December 23, 2024. The armed group led by Rey Mikanò was responsible for these killings, targeting primarily elderly individuals accused of practicing voodoo.
The victims, located in their homes and a place of worship, were taken to the gang's stronghold, where they were held captive and interrogated in what was described as a 'training center.' The report detailed that victims were subsequently taken to an execution site nearby, where they were shot or hacked to death.
The UN report noted that the gang attempted to eliminate evidence by burning bodies or dismembering them before disposing of the remains in the sea. Among the deceased were 134 men and 72 women, many of whom were elderly and accused of causing the illness of the gang leader's child.
Additionally, some victims were those who attempted to flee the area due to fear of retaliation or were suspected of leaking information about the crimes to local media.
The report was compiled by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It emphasized the lack of intervention by police or judicial authorities in Wharf Jérémie, where abuses by gang members often go unpunished.
Since the beginning of the year, the UN office in Haiti has reported over 5,350 deaths and more than 2,155 injuries in the country, which has been embroiled in a severe crisis exacerbated by armed gangs controlling approximately 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. This brings the total number of deaths and injuries since 2022 to over 17,000, according to official figures.