Armed men belonging to the Gran Grif gang killed at least 70 people, including three infants, and forced at least 3,000 to flee as they swept through a Haitian town shooting automatic rifles at residents, a spokesperson for the United Nations' Human Rights Office said on Friday.
"We are horrified by Thursday's gang attacks in the town of Pont-Sonde in Haiti's Artibonite department," spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.
At least another 16 people were seriously injured in the attack in the early hours of Thursday, including two gang members hit during an exchange of fire with Haitian police, according to the UN. The gang members reportedly set fire to at least 45 houses and 34 vehicles, forcing residents to flee their homes.
"This odious crime against defenseless women, men and children is not only an attack against victims but against the entire Haitian nation," Prime Minister Garry Conille said on X.