Haiti, UN Secretary General António Guterres has strongly condemned a brutal gang assault in Haiti that left at least 40 people dead, including women, children, and the elderly. The overnight attack occurred on 11 September in the commune of Cabaret, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s escalating wave of violence.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Guterres expressed “heartfelt condolences” to the victims’ families and called on Haitian authorities to pursue justice. He also urged UN Member States to accelerate support for the Multinational Security Support mission, aimed at bolstering the Haitian National Police.

“The Secretary General is alarmed by the levels of violence rocking Haiti,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. “He calls for urgent international assistance to restore order and protect civilians.”

The attack comes amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. Over 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced, and six million are in need of aid. Yet, less than 10% of the UN’s $908 million humanitarian appeal has been funded, prompting Guterres to warn that 1.7 million people may receive no assistance at all.

“State authority is crumbling,” Guterres told the UN Security Council earlier this month, describing how armed groups have tightened their grip on Port-au-Prince and surrounding regions, forcing families to flee and disrupting daily life.