On Sunday, August 23, 2026, armed gang members attacked Kenscoff, a mountain community above Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At least 47 people were killed, mostly women and children. More than 50 were taken hostage, according to the United Nations. At least 22 of the people killed were taking refuge in a church. It’s believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years.
What happened in Kenscoff, Haiti?
Armed men entered Kenscoff on the morning of Sunday, August 23, 2026. The United Nations confirmed on Tuesday that at least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others were taken hostage.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres reported that 22 of those killed were executed inside a church compound where they had gone for shelter. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known as BINUH, reported that at least five of the dead were children. Kenscoff’s mayor told the Associated Press that gangs burned 25 homes and killed two government employees.
A gang leader has since threatened to kill the remaining hostages if Haitian police act against his men — a threat that has frozen rescue efforts in place.
Kenscoff sits in the hills above the capital. For a long time it was considered one of the safer places to be. The first major attack there came in January 2025. Many of the families who fled on Sunday had already lost their homes in that earlier attack. They ran a second time, on foot, down the mountain, carrying nothing.
Why is this attack different?
Kenscoff was supposed to be evidence that things were getting better. Security in Haiti had appeared to be improving. This attack ended that assumption in a single morning, and it did so as the country prepares for general elections in December.
The families affected are displaced for the second time in nineteen months. The people who took shelter in a church — the place they believed no one would come — did not survive. Fifty families are waiting to learn whether the person they love is alive.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. — Psalm 34:18
What is Cross to Light doing in Haiti right now?
Cross to Light is working to help provide emergency relief — food and water — to families affected by the attack. Every dollar given to Haiti emergency relief goes directly to those supplies.
We’re not able to publish specifics about where our teams are working, when supplies move, or how they get where they’re going. In the current security environment, that information puts Haitian staff and pastors at risk. We’d rather tell you less and keep them safe.
What we can tell you is this: churches across Haiti are praying and helping as they’re able, and the relationships that make relief possible were built long before this week. When a crisis pushes hundreds more people into emergency need, we don’t have to build anything new. We do our best to make sure the supplies are there.
Why give through Cross to Light?
Very few organizations can still move relief into Haiti. Gang control of roads, ports, and neighborhoods has forced many groups to suspend operations or leave entirely. Cross to Light has been in Haiti through years of instability, working with Haitian pastors and community leaders who live in these neighborhoods and know who needs help first.
That’s the whole reason your support matters. Money is not the hard part of relief work in Haiti. Access is. We have access, and access without supplies doesn’t feed anyone.
How can I help families in Haiti?
Give to Haiti emergency relief. One hundred percent of emergency relief giving goes to food, water, and assistance for families in crisis. Give now →
Pray. For the hostages and their families. For the children who saw what happened Sunday. For Haitian pastors and staff who are serving in the middle of it. For an end to the gang violence.
Share this post. Haiti falls out of the news quickly. Most people don’t know this happened.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Kenscoff attack happen? Sunday, August 23, 2026. The United Nations confirmed casualty figures on Tuesday, August 25.
How many people were killed in the Kenscoff attack? At least 47, according to the United Nations. At least five were children. Twenty-two were killed inside a church compound where they had taken shelter.
How many people were kidnapped? More than 50. As of publication, they have not been released. A gang leader has publicly threatened to kill them if Haitian police move against his group.
Where is Kenscoff? Kenscoff is a mountain community in the hills above Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
Is Cross to Light still operating in Haiti? Yes. Cross to Light continues to provide emergency food, water, and assistance in Haiti. For the safety of Haitian staff and pastors, operational details aren’t published.
How is my donation used? Gifts to Haiti emergency relief fund food, water, and assistance. Cross to Light provides relief free of charge to those who receive it.
Is Cross to Light a registered charity? Yes. Cross to Light, Incorporated is a non-denominational Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005, headquartered in Tennessee. EIN 20-3813612. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Cross to Light is a non-denominational Christian ministry helping people cross from darkness to light by hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We provide discipleship, biblical teaching, and leadership training, facilitate mission trip experiences, and extend emergency relief — food, water, clothing, and medical assistance — free of charge. Sending the gospel forward.
Sources: United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH); statement of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, August 25, 2026; Associated Press reporting from Port-au-Prince, August 2026.
