El Salvador has deployed over 2,000 troops to Haiti amid escalating violence linked to gang activity. This deployment follows a gang attack that left four Salvadoran aviation technical personnel unaccounted for. While the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang claimed they were dead, Haitian officials are treating them as missing, and the Salvadoran government is still considering the possibility that they may be alive.
The United Nations reported that most of the Salvadoran troops are operating outside the official framework of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF). The GSF, authorized by the UN Security Council, collaborates with the Haitian National Police and military to combat gang violence, safeguard critical infrastructure, and support humanitarian efforts.
In addition to El Salvador’s military presence, Vectus Global, a private security company founded by former U.S. Navy SEAL Erik Prince, is also engaged in operations against gangs in conjunction with Haitian police and military forces. The presence of both foreign troops and private security firms has raised concerns regarding command structure and legal accountability amid ongoing unrest.
The UN has reiterated the necessity for all security operations in Haiti to adhere to international human rights and humanitarian laws. Since the beginning of 2026, violence has led to more than 5,700 deaths or injuries, and an estimated 1.5 million people have been displaced due to the instability in the region.
