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Hundreds attend funeral in Haiti for 4 victims of brutal gang attack that killed 47

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Hundreds attend funeral in Haiti for 4 victims of brutal gang attack that killed 47
News

News

Hundreds attend funeral in Haiti for 4 victims of brutal gang attack that killed 47

2026-08-31 02:07 Last Updated At:02:10

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Hundreds of people crowded into a church near Haiti’s capital on Sunday for the funeral of four of the 47 people killed in a recent gang attack so brutal that it shook a country that has long struggled with violence.

Mourners wiped away tears, raised their hands and cried out as coffins arrived at a church in the farming community of Kenscoff.

“We thank everyone who came in solidarity with the families that died and those who lost their loved ones,” Pastor Jean Robert Dorlus said. “God will open a space to receive them.”

Inside the church, people swayed to gospel music. Some wailed as their shoulders shook. The church was so packed that dozens had to stand outside, peering through the windows, as they honored those being laid to rest: a mother, father and their son, and a 70-year-old man whose body had been set on fire by the gang members.

“I’ve known them for a long time,” said Yvon Marleus, a Kenscoff resident who lost a cousin in the attack. “These are people who are respected in the community.”

Gangs abducted more than 50 people during the attack, although they recently released six children and seven women following an intervention by community leaders and UNICEF.

It was one of the biggest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and survivors have organized protests and blamed police for not preventing the attack.

“They didn’t act in time to stop the carnage,” Marleus alleged.

Haiti’s National Police has said that it ordered an investigation to establish the truth about the attack, and whether it was "due to complicity or negligence.”

Outside the church, civilians stood guard with automatic weapons, ready to repel any potential new gang attacks with the help of police officers stationed nearby.

Kenscoff resident Jean Calixte Juste said he and two cousins survived the attack “by luck.”

"I almost died,” he recalled. “I almost fell into a ravine running. This is the worst and most terrible night I’ve ever experienced.”

He didn’t know the four people whose funerals were held Sunday, but he said he wanted to honor their memories.

It wasn't clear when funerals of the other victims might be held.

After the church service, the crowd climbed up a steep hill and followed the hearses transporting the coffins to a nearby cemetery.

“The government killed my family!” some mourners cried out.

Marta Hurtado, a spokesperson for the U.N. Human Rights Office, said that some 150 heavily armed gang members participated in the Aug. 23 attack. She said they first killed 13 people who tried to flee and then pursued 50 more who had sought refuge inside a church.

“After forcing them out from the premises, they executed 22 of them on the church courtyard and 12 others behind the church,” she said.

Dozens of others were injured, and more than 2,600 people were left homeless.

Overall, gang violence has displaced a record of nearly 1.5 million people in recent years across Haiti, where more than 3,050 people were reported killed from January to June, according to the U.N.

Armed men control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and swaths of land in Haiti’s central region and beyond, and they are also seeking to seize territory in Kenscoff.

“I’m ready to leave," said Juste, one of the residents. "Because after this, I don’t think we’re going to survive another big attack.”

Coto reported from Havana.

Blood stains the ground left behind by the victim of a gang attack in the Kenscoff neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

Blood stains the ground left behind by the victim of a gang attack in the Kenscoff neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

LONDON (AP) — England beat Pakistan by 194 runs in four days of the second test at Lord's on Sunday and comfortably won its first test series since December 2024 with a match to spare.

Pakistan was inevitably bowled for 194 in a daunting chase of 389 about 45 minutes after tea. Saud Shakeel led his team's first batting resistance in the series and was caught on the boundary for an agonizing 97, the highest score in the series for either team.

England had to take only 18 wickets because opening batter Imam-ul-Haq never appeared after tearing his left calf on the first day.

Ollie Robinson led England's four seamers with eight wickets, 4-24 on Sunday and a staggering 8-35 in 27 overs in the match. He was named the player of the match for a third time in three straight tests.

“It helps to have three (other) guys who bowl at 90 mph, it allows me to just dot up at one end and build the pressure," he said. “It's quite a nice pairing (with Jofra Archer) to open the bowling, someone bowling that quickly and swinging the ball the other way from me. Long may it continue."

England has won a series at its first attempt in the post-Bazball era under new captain Joe Root and Marcus Trescothick, the interim coach until Stephen Fleming arrives next month.

“It does feel good and fully deserved as well. The guys have been excellent,” Root told the BBC.

“We had the worst of the conditions for most of the game, and we had to work hard for it towards the back end. Fair play to Saud, I thought he played nicely but the relentless nature in which the guys kept coming at you always felt like we were going to get there in the end.”

They will go for a 3-0 sweep against Pakistan from Sept. 9 in Birmingham.

Pakistan suffered its 10th defeat in its last 11 away tests. Its lack of batting grit in the series — it still hasn't cracked a 200 total — made Shakeel's resilience against Robinson's relentless line and length and Archer's searing pace the highlight of the afternoon.

Shakeel and Shan Masood fashioned a 97-run partnership from 14-3 that frustrated England for nearly four hours.

But Robinson broke the partnership an hour out from a delayed tea when he pinned Masood. Robinson quickly added Mohammad Rizwan, his 99th test wicket, and didn't bowl again.

Shakeel missed the preceding test series in the Caribbean, and despite 5 and 14 in the innings loss in Leeds last week he retained a 51 average against England. Masood was sacked as captain in May but was retained for his experience.

Masood battened down the hatches while the 1.68-meter (5-foot-6) Shakeel threw most of the punches. By lunch they were dug in and unthreatened.

England’s frustration became obvious after lunch as it frequently and vainly asked the umpires to check the ball, and resorted to Dan Lawrence's part-time off-spin for only the second time in the series.

Meanwhile, Shakeel reached 50 off 54 balls, his 15th half-century in tests and second outside of Asia.

Robinson’s return with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith up at the stumps got the breakthrough for England when he trapped Masood lbw on leg stump, out for 26 from 72 balls. Their resistance lasted 23 overs.

Robinson had 3-15 and then 4-17 when Mohammad Rizwan on 1 missed a swat and was struck in the groin, plumb in front of off stump. Robinson's brief but outstanding summer has netted 23 wickets in three tests at an average of 8.

He took 7-77 against New Zealand in June and 8-80 against Pakistan in Leeds. The most recent England bowlers to take at least seven wickets in three consecutive matches were Steve Harmison in 2003-04 and Ian Botham in 1984-85.

With only the tailenders left, Shakeel accelerated his magnificent lone hand. Two sixes and a boundary in a single over off Josh Tongue helped to rush him to 97. But another swipe at Tongue got him caught at backward square leg. Shakeel trudged off to a standing ovation.

Tongue finished the match 20 minutes later with the last two wickets.

Also applauded was 36-year-old Pakistan medium-pacer Mohammad Abbas, who made the Lord’s honors board for the first time with 5-57. Abbas resumed the day on 3-48 and removed Lawrence, England’s innings high-scorer with 54, and Robinson to a sharp catch at the stumps by Rizwan and punched the air and bowed on the grass.

He took 9-130 in the game, the second best bowling figures for Pakistan at the famed venue after Yasir Shah’s 10-141 in 2016.

See AP’s full cricket coverage here

England players celebrate after their win on day four of the second cricket test match against Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England players celebrate after their win on day four of the second cricket test match against Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Shan Masood, left, and batting partner Saud Shakeel celebrate scoring runs on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Shan Masood, left, and batting partner Saud Shakeel celebrate scoring runs on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Ollie Robinson, right, celebrates with teammates the dismissal of Pakistan's Shan Masood on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Ollie Robinson, right, celebrates with teammates the dismissal of Pakistan's Shan Masood on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas, right, celebrates with teammate Mohammad Rizwan after the dismissal of England's Ollie Robinson on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas, right, celebrates with teammate Mohammad Rizwan after the dismissal of England's Ollie Robinson on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique is bowled out by England's Ollie Robinson on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique is bowled out by England's Ollie Robinson on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Jofra Archer appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Pakistan's Azan Awais on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Jofra Archer appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Pakistan's Azan Awais on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Ollie Robinson reacts after bowling a delivery on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

England's Ollie Robinson reacts after bowling a delivery on day four of the second cricket test match between England and Pakistan in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

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