Haitian police have discovered a charred armored vehicle believed to have been used by four missing Salvadoran aviation technicians. The vehicle was located in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, a commune near Port-au-Prince. Police announced the find on November 3.
The four technicians went missing on October 18 following an attack in the region. Their fate remains unknown, prompting a coordinated response from Haitian police, a UN-backed international anti-gang force (GSF), and Salvadoran military personnel.
Status of the Salvadoran contingent
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has deployed over 2,000 military personnel to Haiti. However, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric noted that only about 200 Salvadoran troops are currently under GSF command. Dujarric emphasized that all security operations must adhere to international human rights law.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé stated that foreign forces operate under the authority of Haitian leadership. Armed patrols by Salvadoran military personnel commenced on October 30. Romain Le Cour, an analyst with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, remarked that the rules governing the use of force and command structure for the Salvadoran contingent remain unclear.
Data on the injured
During the eight days following the October 18 incident, the international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders reported that 30 people sustained injuries from gunfire and drone explosions. Davina Gales, head of the organization’s mission in Haiti, expressed concern about the potential for further casualties resulting from ongoing armed confrontations.
