Haiti's armed groups are not retreating in the face of heightened security operations — they are changing their methods, according to the UN Secretary-General's latest report on the country. "What is particularly worrying is the gangs' ability to adapt their tactics as security operations intensify," said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN's top official in Haiti, addressing the Security Council.

Armed groups have increasingly turned to hostage-taking, intimidation and reprisals against civilians to hold territory and challenge state authority. An attack on 23 and 24 August in Kenscoff, a mountainous town southeast of Port-au-Prince, left at least 47 people dead, 22 wounded, and 52 taken hostage, 13 of whom were later freed through local initiatives supported by the UN. In the West and Artibonite departments, 241 people were killed for allegedly resisting gangs. Further attacks in Saint-Michel-de-l'Atalaye, Marigot, and Léogâne point to the spread of violence beyond urban centres, with armed groups also targeting farmland, homes and public infrastructure.

Security force operations have themselves contributed to the rising toll. According to the report, they account for 52 per cent of Haitians killed or wounded since the beginning of July — 808 people in total, including 148 not associated with gangs.

The Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force, logistically supported by the UN, continues its deployment but remains severely understaffed. As of 12 October, it counted 1,563 uniformed members, well short of the 5,550 authorised by the Security Council. The force has established a base in the Artibonite region, extending its reach beyond the capital. Armed groups, however, retain retaliatory capacity: on a recent Sunday, an armoured vehicle transporting Salvadoran soldiers was attacked in Croix-des-Bouquets, in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, with four soldiers still reported missing the following day, according to media reports.

Ruiz Massieu cautioned that territorial gains alone would be insufficient. "Experience has shown that security operations alone cannot bring about lasting stabilisation," he said, calling for the permanent restoration of state presence and disarmament and reintegration programmes, including for children recruited by gangs.

The security situation has also put the return to democratic governance in doubt. Presidential and legislative elections, initially scheduled for 13 December, have been postponed indefinitely — Haiti has not held national elections since 2016. More than 35 political parties and groups and 3,500 candidates have registered, but as of 5 October only 759,257 potential voters appeared on electoral lists out of an estimated electorate of 6.5 million. Ruiz Massieu warned that "setting new dates for elections without a realistic assessment of their feasibility will only erode public confidence and the credibility of Haitian institutions."

The humanitarian dimension compounds the political one. Nearly 1.5 million people have fled their homes, including more than 740,000 children. The economy is expected to contract for the seventh consecutive year, while the UN's 2026 humanitarian plan is only about half funded.

This article is based on a primary source and has undergone editorial review prior to publication.