On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the town of Bassin-Bleu in Haiti’s Northwest Department was plunged into chaos when dozens of heavily armed members of the Kokorat San Ras gang stormed the community. Once considered a safe haven, this rural enclave found itself at the mercy of violence that has become all too common in other parts of the country. The assault, which began shortly before noon, left at least one person dead, ten kidnapped, several others injured, and a trail of destruction that included looted homes, torched public offices, and a devastated local economy.
According to The Haitian Times, around 60 gang members—affiliated with Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier’s Viv Ansanm Coalition—descended on Bassin-Bleu, less than 20 miles south of Port-de-Paix, the capital of the Northwest Department. The attackers opened fire in the streets, killing a high school teacher, John Guerdy Dorvilien, who was reportedly shot multiple times and then burned alive. Witnesses described the harrowing scene as the gang set fire to the police station, city hall, and the local hospital, Good Samaritan. Commercial banks and a credit union were also looted, while employees trapped inside government buildings had to be rescued as the terror unfolded.
Rodlet Jean-Baptiste, a community leader from Port-de-Paix, spoke about the ordeal on Radio Caraibes, saying, “It is with great pain, the situation we are living. The authorities need to take responsibility.” He further described how “all the police fled” in the face of overwhelming force. At the time of the assault, only three officers were stationed in Bassin-Bleu, woefully under-equipped and outnumbered. They escaped to the nearby mountains, joined by dozens of residents desperate to survive.
The Kokorat San Ras gang, despite reportedly having only about 20 core members, has been described by the United Nations as “a very brutal gang” operating in the Artibonite region. Its influence, however, extends well beyond its numbers. The group’s latest attack marks a significant escalation, as Bassin-Bleu had previously remained largely untouched by the spiraling gang violence that has gripped Haiti. According to Miami Herald, the gang’s expansion into the northwest is part of a broader push to control rural regions, many of which are key points for migrant smuggling to the United States and The Bahamas.
Victims of the assault include not only the slain teacher but also 60-year-old Merlien Orélien, who was among the ten people kidnapped. The violence forced most residents to flee Bassin-Bleu, seeking refuge in rural areas like Haut-Moustiques, a mountainous farming community. Videos shared on social media captured the desperation: families wading through overflowing rivers, carrying children and salvaging what little they could.
Monsignor Charles Peters Barthelus, the Catholic Bishop of Port-de-Paix, voiced the growing distress in the region. “This situation has put the entire population of the Northwest in great distress and anxiety,” he said. He questioned how such a heavily armed gang could invade with impunity: “We have seen how the men with guns found a way to enter the city easily without any resistance. They have done all their evil deeds, mistreated, killed people and returned without any problems to their bases.”
The timing of the attack has raised further questions. It occurred just two weeks after a reshuffling of police leadership in the region, with Clevens Cétoute—credited for maintaining calm—replaced by Fred Joseph, who had pledged to strengthen security. The swift deterioration in safety was not lost on residents. “Replacing the police director in the Northwest Department was not a good decision. We knew attacks could happen at any time,” said Mikender Tatoute, a local resident.
Government Commissioner Jéir Pierre, based in Port-de-Paix, confirmed that two police backup units were dispatched to the area. “I’ve been discussing the Bassin-Bleu situation with the Minister of Justice,” Pierre told The Haitian Times. “New strategic measures will be implemented to protect the population.” Yet, for many in Bassin-Bleu, government assurances feel hollow. Élita Julien, a 27-year-old nurse, lamented, “The police director general lied to us—he did not keep his promise. Our community is now experiencing the same suffering as others.”
The Bassin-Bleu assault is the latest in a series of violent escalations across Haiti. Just last week, gunmen threw a molotov cocktail into a police armored vehicle outside the capital, killing three people. Days earlier, more than 50 people were massacred in Labodrie, in the Arcahaïe district, drawing condemnation from the United Nations, Amnesty International, the Organization of American States, the European Union, and the United States. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “alarmed by the levels of violence rocking Haiti.”
Meanwhile, the international response has struggled to keep pace. The Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), led by Kenya and backed by the U.N., has been criticized for its slow and limited action. According to The Haitian Times, MSS forces remain largely confined to perimeter security in Port-au-Prince, with no significant operations to dismantle armed groups or secure major routes. Regional and international partners, including the U.S., are now pushing for the creation of a more aggressive Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to retake territory and restore order. However, questions about funding, troop contributions, and the legitimacy of such a force remain unresolved.
Complicating the humanitarian crisis, severe flooding struck the northwest region earlier in the week, washing out hundreds of families and flooding over 550 houses. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Guterres, highlighted the dual emergencies: “Businesses, houses, crops, livestock and fishing activities have been affected. The bridge over the river sustained heavy damage, and roads connecting the town of Port-de-Paix to other communes are now impassable.” Disaster response teams have been deployed, but needs remain urgent as the hurricane season continues.
The violence in Bassin-Bleu underscores a grim reality: as gangs consolidate power and expand into new regions, the Haitian state’s ability to protect its citizens is eroding. More than 1.3 million Haitians have been internally displaced by escalating violence, and the latest attacks are driving humanitarian needs even higher. As the government and international community debate next steps, residents of towns like Bassin-Bleu are left to wonder if relief—or even basic safety—will ever arrive.
For now, Bassin-Bleu stands as a stark symbol of Haiti’s deepening crisis, where the promise of security feels ever more distant and the resilience of its people is tested day after day.