SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Drones operated by Haitian security forces and personal contractors have killed not less than 1,243 individuals and injured 738 others, Human Rights Watch mentioned Tuesday.
Of these killed, 17 had been youngsters and 43 had been adults not believed to be members of any felony group. Of these injured, not less than 49 had been believed to be civilians, in line with the rights group. The killings occurred between March 1, 2025, and Jan. 21, 2026.
Essentially the most deadly drone operation killed 57 individuals, it famous.
“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 Human Rights Watch, mentioned in a press release.
A spokesperson for Haiti’s Nationwide Police didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The nonprofit mentioned the variety of armed drone assaults in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which is 90% controlled by gangs, has “considerably elevated” in current months, with 57 reported between November and late January, nearly double that of the 29 assaults reported from August by way of October final 12 months.
Human Rights Watch mentioned its researchers analyzed seven movies uploaded to social media or shared straight with the group that present armed 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 automobiles and folks, a few of them armed, however none who look like engaged in violent acts or pose any imminent risk to life,” the group mentioned.
Human Rights Watch mentioned it didn’t discover widespread drone use amongst felony teams.
One of many assaults highlighted within the report occurred Sept. 20, 2025, within the Simon Pele neighborhood, an especially impoverished group managed by a gang of the identical title.
The drone assault killed 9 individuals, together with three youngsters, and injured not less than eight others because the chief of the Simon Pele gang ready to distribute items to youngsters within the space.
Human Rights Watch quoted one unnamed resident recalling how the explosion ripped each ft off a child.
Amongst these killed was a 6-year-old woman, whose unidentified mom was quoted as saying, “Within the areas the place the gangs are, there are harmless individuals, individuals who elevate their youngsters, who comply with regular paths.”
The households of these killed mentioned the felony group organized and managed entry to their funerals, in line with Human Rights Watch.
“Some residents mentioned that solely individuals who accepted cash or assist from the felony group had been allowed to attend the funeral,” the rights group mentioned in its report.
On Jan. 1 of this 12 months, an unidentified girl was quoted as saying that she noticed a drone fall and explode onto a truck that was transporting her cousin, killing her.
“Many of those assaults look like makes an attempt to focus on and kill individuals in circumstances that quantity to illegal, extrajudicial killings,” Human Rights Watch mentioned.
“Authorities must also guarantee transparency round and accountability for any illegal demise ensuing from a safety operation, and conduct immediate, thorough, and unbiased investigations to reveal, to the best extent potential, the quantity and identification of victims, and supply satisfactory reparation the place violations have occurred,” the rights group added.
Volker Turk, the U.N. human rights chief, has mentioned that the usage of deadly pressure in opposition to gangs in Haiti was pointless, disproportionate and sure a violation of worldwide regulation.
Final 12 months, Haiti’s authorities created a brand new job pressure that has operated outdoors the oversight of Haiti’s Nationwide Police and employed the usage of explosive drones. The duty pressure is made up of sure police models and personal contractors.
In mid-2025, Vectus International, the safety agency of former U.S. Navy Seal Erik Prince, anticipated to deploy almost 200 personnel from varied international locations to Haiti as a part of a one-year deal to quell gang violence there.
Haitian police are also working alongside a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police that is still underfunded and understaffed. It’s quickly anticipated to remodel right into a so-called gang suppression force in upcoming months.
