1,642 killed in Haiti violence in first quarter of 2026

Continued gang violence and security force operations in Haiti caused at least 1,642 deaths and 745 injuries in the first quarter of 2026, according to a report released by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) on Friday.

The report said that "during the quarter, gang members were responsible for 27 percent of those killed and injured," while more than 69 percent of those killed or injured were "the result of operations carried out by security forces against gangs."

BINUH estimated that 4 percent of the casualties should be attributed to "self-defense groups targeting gang members and people suspected of collaborating with them."

The report said that "of all the victims of drone strikes, 69 were members of the population, including five children."

While security force operations have partially contained gang expansions in the heart of the capital, "in the areas under their control, gangs have continued to commit numerous human rights abuses, including targeted killings, kidnappings, acts of extortion, and destruction of property," according to the report.

Child trafficking also remains a serious concern in gang-controlled areas, said the report.

China launched a remote sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Friday.

The Yaogan-50 03 satellite was launched at 18:15 (Beijing Time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and entered its planned orbit. The launch mission was a complete success.

The satellite will mainly be used for land survey, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and relief.

The launch marked the 672nd flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.