Haiti internal displacement reaches 1.5 million amid rising violence

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that internal displacement in Haiti has reached approximately 1.5 million people. While much of the crisis was previously centered in the capital, nearly 80% of those displaced are now located outside of Port-au-Prince as gang violence spreads to new regions.

In the Artibonite department, internal displacement increased by 16% between May and August. Similarly, in Kenscoff on the outskirts of the capital, recent armed attacks, kidnappings, and fires forced roughly 4,000 people to flee.

Elise Verron, the IOM's chief emergency coordinator in the country, noted that the situation is not transitioning from emergency to recovery. Instead, violence, food insecurity, forced returns, and climate risks—such as hurricanes and flooding—are occurring simultaneously, placing immense pressure on families and host communities. This crisis is also increasing pressure on areas near the border with the Dominican Republic.