At least 50 people, including children, were killed when an armed gang attacked the town of Preval in central Haiti, media reports said Friday.

The assailants set fire to homes, raided a church and killed civilians in what witnesses described as a massacre. Among the victims was 86-year-old Pastor Jocques Brutus, who was reportedly beheaded by attackers at the Maranatha Church.

“At least 50 bodies were found. Reaching the massacre site is almost impossible because the gangs still hold control. Fourteen of the bodies were found decapitated and burned,” a witness told Spain’s EFE news agency.

The gang is believed to be operating under the name “Self-Defense Coalition,” according to initial claims.

The Haitian Bishops’ Conference expressed “deep sorrow” about the brutal killings and urged authorities to take immediate action.

Haiti has been plagued by a deepening crisis, with the capital, Port-au-Prince, now mostly under gang control and food insecurity threatening more than 11 million people.

More than 5,600 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti in 2024, according to UN figures. (Anadolu Agency)