PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A powerful gang coalition attacked a once peaceful farming community nestled in the hills above Haiti’s capital, killing multiple people, an official told The Associated Press on Monday.
Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon said armed men raided the community late Sunday, setting fire to homes and killing residents.
“It is still impossible to establish a definitive death toll due to access difficulties and communication problems,” he said.
Wails filled the air in Kenscoff as survivors found the bodies of friends and family strewn on the streets early Monday.
“They killed my son!” one woman kept yelling as people nearby tried to comfort her.
One man flung himself on the side of the road, head on his right arm as he cried on the ground. Nearby, people picked up the bodies of those killed, some wrapped in blood-spattered sheets.
Robert Jean recalled how he heard shooting before dawn and tried to rustle people from their sleep to escape being killed. He said he was frantically looking for his brother, who was killed: “I was calling to see if everyone was safe. I could not find my brother.”
Another Kenscoff resident blamed the government for the killings.
“If only we had a good police force that would have placed an armored truck here, what happened here would been prevented,” said Verti Enold-Saint as he lifted a sheet over the body of his brother-in-law.
Farmer Mathurin Pierre, 41, told AP that he lost 14 loved ones and that an unknown number remain missing.
Massillon blamed the attack on members of Viv Ansanm, which the U.S. government designated as a foreign terrorist organization last year.
“They sowed chaos,” Massillon said.
He said gang members targeted a church and homes including those owned by Dr. Jean “Bill” Pape. He is a renowned doctor who runs a nongovernmental organization in Haiti that helps patients including those with HIV and tuberculosis.
No further details about the attack were available. A spokesperson for the U.N.-backed gang suppression force did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Haiti’s government issued a statement condemning what it called a heinous criminal attack. “Reinforcements are being deployed,” it said. “Kenscoff will not be abandoned.”
It said that security forces have been ordered to pursue those responsible. “The population must remain confident,” the government said, adding that it would not back down.
Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, with Viv Ansanm repeatedly targeting nearby Kenscoff.
Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than 3,100 people were reported killed from January to June and another 1,189 injured, according to U.N. statistics.
The attack comes less than a week after the U.S. government deported more than 160 people to the troubled Caribbean country for the first time since the Trump administration won a legal battle to end Temporary Protected Status for some 350,000 Haitians.
Haiti's government has said some of the deportees included TPS holders. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Monday in a statement to the AP that those deported Friday included several gang members with criminal records ranging from assault to drug trafficking.
Haiti is scheduled to hold general elections for the first time in more than a decade on Dec. 13, and it has been registering voters in Port-au-Prince and beyond. Experts have warned it's currently too dangerous to hold elections.
Associated Press reporter Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
A boy plays at a shelter for families displaced by gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Not many gave Deshaun Watson a chance of reclaiming the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback spot over the past 22 months.
Since Watson ruptured his right Achilles the first time in a Week 7 game in 2024, owner Jimmy Haslam said during last year’s owners meetings that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” when they sent three first-round picks to Houston for the controversial quarterback in 2022.
After Shedeur Sanders had a solid first half in last Saturday's 31-7 loss to Buffalo, a frustrated Watson said the boos from the crowd were “personal” and showed “disrespect” after he took the field in Cleveland for the first time in 22 months.
Despite the hurdles and a close competition with Sanders, Watson will be the Browns starting quarterback for their Sept. 13 opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Coach Todd Monken made the announcement on Monday after informing both Watson and Sanders.
“I took in the full body of work over the course of the offseason to training camp to the games, the joint practice, and ultimately felt like to start the season on the road, Deshaun gave us the best chance to move the ball and score points. I mean, that’s really what it’s about,” Monken said. “I felt that way going into the last game, but wasn’t sure. And after we talked as a staff and we re-looked at everything, we’re going to go that direction.”
Watson, a 10-year veteran, won the competition over Sanders as both split reps with the first unit throughout the offseason, training camp and the preseason.
The decision will not be popular with Browns fans, who have booed Watson repeatedly during his time in Cleveland, and have put a lot of support behind Sanders since he was selected last year after dropping to the fifth round.
Monken reiterated that fan sentiment and Watson’s comments did not play a role in his decision. Watson completed 5 of 12 passes for 36 yards and an interception while on the field with players at the bottom of the roster who likely will be cut in a couple of weeks.
“Ultimately the fans want us to win. That’s our job as coaches, why we’re hired to try and put the best product on the field. And when we don’t, then I understand their frustration. But ultimately they don’t decide who plays. I mean, who would I be if I let someone outside of the building decide who plays?” Monken said.
Watson has started only 19 games for Cleveland since being acquired from Houston in 2022 and signing a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract that will perhaps go down as one of the worst trades and contract in NFL history. He is 9-10 with the Browns with 19 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating.
In 2022, Watson missed the first 11 games because of a league suspension resulting from his alleged sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. He made six starts in 2023 before a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven in 2024 before the first of two Achilles tendon injuries.
After Monken's announcement, Watson took responsibility for his comments by saying his emotions got the better of him.
“I’m not a big talker anyway. I think people that know me and around the organization, I just felt like it was what was on my heart,” he said. “It was never intended to go at a certain person, fan base or a certain crowd. It was just, this is how I feel. And once I got it off my chest, I felt better and now I can move forward from it.”
Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards and directed two scoring drives working with other starters and the second team during the first half of the preseason opener at Chicago.
“There’s a lot of things, too, that me and (Monken) talking personally that we haven’t showcased. We haven’t showcased my full talent and ability to run in his offense. Being able to run, getting outside the pocket, being able to do some other QB-driven stuff. So I’m excited to see what we can cook up, getting ready for Week 1,” Watson said.
After facing Jacksonville, the Browns are at Tampa Bay on Sept. 20 to face former quarterback Baker Mayfield, who was released after Cleveland traded for Watson. The Browns' first home game is Sept. 27 against Carolina.
Sanders has shown steady improvement throughout the offseason. He started the final seven games of his rookie season, going 3-4 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Sanders went 9 of 11 for 74 yards with a touchdown and interception during the first half against the Bills. Sanders completed his first eight passes before he was picked off by Damar Hamlin on a pass he threw behind tight end Jermaine Terry.
He was 6 of 11 for 79 yards with an interception in the second half against the Bears.
Sanders' biggest improvement is his ability to stand in the pocket as well as move up when he needs to, along with better footwork and decision making.
Even though Sanders will be on the sideline for the opener, he is likely to start at some point this season.
“I think he has come to understand the long game. What are we really in this for? What am I in it for? To have the Browns be an organization that people aspire to be. The long game. Where do we want to be in the long term? And he understands that as well as a quarterback,” Monken said. “We met this morning for a good long time and all he had was a smile on his face because he understands what really is in front of him. He’s going to work his butt off to get better.”
Watson and Sanders will not play in Thursday's final preseason game against the New England Patriots. Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green will get the snaps as they compete for the third QB spot.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Buffalo Bills defensive lineman DeWayne Carter (90) tips a pass from Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson speaks at a press conference after an NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
