El Salvador has sent special forces to Haiti to aid in the rescue of four Salvadoran military technicians abducted by armed gangs. President Nayib Bukele announced the military operation, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring the safe return of the kidnapped personnel.
Approximately 200 Salvadoran soldiers arrived in Port-au-Prince between Thursday and Friday to join the search efforts. This deployment comes in response to the technicians’ disappearance, which occurred on Sunday when their armored vehicle was attacked in Santo, a commune near Port-au-Prince. Armed assailants opened fire on the vehicle and detonated explosives, setting it ablaze. Although the technicians managed to escape the burning vehicle, they have not been seen since.
The United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) confirmed the arrival of the Salvadoran troops, who are collaborating with the Haitian National Police and other security partners. Local residents have been advised to avoid areas where operations are currently taking place.
Haitian authorities have confirmed the kidnapping of the technicians, though their current condition and location remain unknown. Bukele reiterated his demand for the immediate and safe return of the four men, who are noncombatants involved in medical evacuations, and warned of severe consequences if they were harmed.
In the wake of Bukele’s announcement, Wilson Joseph, the leader of the gang 400 Mawozo, reacted defiantly in a video on social media, displaying ammunition and insisting he would not shy away from confronting Salvadoran forces. No gang has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
Bukele also addressed concerns regarding the challenges posed by Haiti’s powerful gangs, asserting his belief that his government could achieve victory against them. He characterized the gangs as “satanic” in a post on X, without providing supporting evidence for this claim.
The Salvadoran military deployment occurs amid rising violence from armed groups in Haiti and the presence of an international security force authorized by the UN Security Council to support Haitian police efforts in restoring order. Haiti has been grappling with escalating gang violence, which has resulted in the displacement of nearly 1.5 million people, according to UN estimates, further exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis.
