El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has initiated a military operation aimed at rescuing four air force personnel who went missing in Haiti following an attack on Sunday. According to Bukele, the individuals were ambushed by heavily armed criminal groups in Croix-des-Bouquets, a region known for gang control.
In his statements, Bukele warned that Wednesday’s attack was minor compared to the consequences that would follow if the hostages, whom he asserted are not combatants, are not safely returned. He emphasized that the mission, consisting of pilots and technical staff, is focused on medical evacuations to save lives rather than combat.
The four missing personnel were part of a special unit known as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), which received approval from the United Nations Security Council earlier this month to address rising gang violence in Haiti. Following their kidnapping, Bukele described the act as “cowardly,” noting they were taken while returning from a market.
The Salvadoran Armed Forces stated that the group was traveling in an armored vehicle, which was attacked with explosives, causing it to catch fire. Since the incident, no gang has claimed responsibility for the ambush.
In response to the ongoing situation, the Salvadoran military has deployed helicopters to aid in the operation, although efforts to approach the area have faced challenges due to ongoing hostilities and security issues. Before the military operation announcement, the GSF reported conducting searches for the personnel and engaging with armed groups, claiming to have inflicted casualties on gang members.
Amid these developments, the United Nations highlighted the evolving tactics of Haiti’s armed gangs, stating they are retaliating against civilians and expanding their influence into rural regions. Haiti remains in turmoil, having not conducted elections since 2016, with the latest elections—originally scheduled for December 13—postponed indefinitely. The nation’s instability has been exacerbated by gang warfare, particularly following the assassination of its president in 2021, with over 5,500 fatalities linked to gang violence reported this year alone. Currently, gangs control approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince, the capital.
