“Overall, more than 8,100 murders were recorded nationwide between January and November 2025, a figure that is likely lower than the reality due to limited access to areas controlled by gangs,” notes BINUH in a report to the UN Security Council, dated January 15, 2026.

Armed violence intensified in urban and peri-urban areas, with gangs deploying heavy-caliber weapons and carrying out coordinated assaults on multiple fronts, according to the report, which states that “between September 1 and November 30, BINUH recorded 1,991 victims of intentional homicides, including 142 women, 12 girls, and 44 boys, representing a 6.2 percent decrease compared to the previous quarter.”