Massacre in Haiti : Gang Leader Orders Killing of 110 Elderly in Cité Soleil

At least 110 people were brutally killed in Haiti’s Cité Soleil slum over the weekend after a gang leader, Monel “Mikano” Felix, ordered the massacre based on accusations of witchcraft. The National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) reported that Felix, leader of the Viv Ansanm group, targeted elderly residents after a voudou priest blamed them for causing his child’s illness.

The killings unfolded over two days, with gang members using machetes and knives to kill 60 people on Friday and 50 more on Saturday, all aged over 60. The densely populated slum of Cité Soleil, located near the port of Port-au-Prince, is one of Haiti’s poorest and most violent areas. Gang control in the area, including restrictions on mobile phone use, severely limited residents’ ability to report the incident.

Felix, who also heads the Wharf Jeremie gang, was banned from entering the neighboring Dominican Republic in 2022 due to his criminal activities. The massacre underscores the growing lawlessness and gang violence plaguing Haiti, with vulnerable populations bearing the brunt of the atrocities.