Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti descended into a power vacuum exploited by armed gangs, primarily the G9 and Viv Ansanm coalitions led by Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chérizier. By early 2024, gangs controlled an estimated 80% of Port-au-Prince, forcing Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign in March 2024. A Transitional Presidential Council was established, and a Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) began deploying in June 2024 with a UN mandate. Despite international efforts, gang violence, mass displacement, cholera outbreaks, and humanitarian catastrophe continue to worsen into 2025.
Viv Ansanm fighters stormed the upscale Pétion-Ville district in Port-au-Prince, burning homes and displacing tens of thousands in one of the deadliest single-week offensives since 2021. MSS and PNH forces struggled to mount an effective response.
UN investigators confirmed that armed gang members killed over 70 civilians, including women and children, in the Lizon neighborhood of Artibonite department, marking one of the worst massacres in the ongoing crisis.
Kenya expanded its Multinational Security Support contingent to nearly 1,000 personnel following repeated gang breaches of the initial security perimeter around Port-au-Prince. The UN Security Council reaffirmed its mandate through late 2025.
Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council formally inaugurated a new government structure following Prime Minister Ariel Henry's forced resignation in March 2024. The council faced immediate legitimacy challenges and continued gang interference with state functions.
Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chérizier announced a coordinated offensive to overthrow the government, with Viv Ansanm gangs seizing the Toussaint Louverture International Airport approaches and the main seaport, triggering Prime Minister Henry's resignation and a full humanitarian emergency declaration.