Human Rights Watch says drone strikes by Haitian forces kill greater than 1,200 folks in and close to Port-au-Prince since 2025.
Printed On 10 Mar 2026
Drone strikes operated by Haitian safety forces and personal contractors have killed at the very least 1,243 folks and injured 738 in Haiti, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stories.
Since March final 12 months, Haitian safety forces with help from Vectus International, a United States-licensed non-public navy agency, have carried out antigang operations utilizing quadcopter drones strapped with explosives, typically in densely populated elements of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
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The report discovered strikes from March 1, 2025, to January 21 in West Division, the place Port-au-Prince is positioned, have killed 17 youngsters and 43 adults not believed to be members of any felony teams.
“Haitian authorities ought to urgently rein within the safety forces and personal contractors working for them earlier than extra youngsters die,” Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at HRW, mentioned in a press release.
The nonprofit mentioned the variety of drone assaults in Port-au-Prince, which is 90 p.c managed by gangs, has “considerably elevated” in current months, with 57 reported from November to late January, nearly double that of the 29 assaults reported from August via October
HRW mentioned its researchers analysed seven movies uploaded to social media or shared straight with the group that present quadcopter drones in motion and geolocated 4 of them to Port-au-Prince.
“The movies present the repeated use of drones outfitted with explosives to assault autos and other people, a few of them armed, however none who seem like engaged in violent acts or pose any imminent risk to life,” the group mentioned.
‘There are harmless folks’
HRW mentioned it didn’t discover widespread drone use amongst felony teams.
One of many assaults highlighted within the report occurred on September 20 within the Simon Pele neighbourhood, an impoverished neighborhood managed by a gang of the identical title.
The drone assault killed 9 folks, together with three youngsters, and injured at the very least eight because the chief of the Simon Pele gang ready to distribute presents to youngsters within the space.
HRW quoted one unnamed resident as recalling how the explosion ripped each ft off a child.
Amongst these killed was a six-year-old lady whose unidentified mom was quoted as saying: “Within the areas the place the gangs are, there are harmless folks, individuals who elevate their youngsters, who comply with regular paths.”
The households of these killed mentioned the felony group organised and managed entry to their funerals, based on Human Rights Watch.
Final month, the United Nations Built-in Workplace in Haiti mentioned it had no indications the deaths and accidents have been being investigated.
HRW mentioned there was no proof drones have been getting used extensively by gangs. The UN’s excessive commissioner for human rights mentioned in October that the drone strikes have been disproportionate and sure illegal.