El Salvador has reportedly deployed about 1,000 troops to Haiti following an Oct. 18 gang ambush on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, that left four Salvadoran aviation technicians missing.
Four Salvadoran Air Force technicians were deployed as part of the U.N.-backed Gang Suppression Force and were ambushed while returning from a market.
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele vowed a rescue operation to find the Salvadorans but did not say how many troops would be sent.
People were interested in these podcasts
He said he believes they are being held hostage.
Last week, Mr. Bukele announced a military operation to recover the unaccounted-for air force technicians, who have been missing since jumping from a burning vehicle during the ambush.
The vehicle was attacked in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, which is near Port-au-Prince.
U.S. Southern Command provided C-130 military transport aircraft to help move the Salvadoran troops. A security official told Reuters it remains unclear who will command the expanded Salvadoran contingent or how long they will stay.
No Haitian gang has claimed responsibility for the ambush.
Initial rescue and security operations have led to armed skirmishes in the area, resulting in reported casualties and injuries among Gang Suppression Force personnel and local gangs.
The Caribbean nation’s leaders have sought international security support since 2022, after gangs’ influence grew rapidly after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, deepening an insecurity crisis that has caused authorities to repeatedly delay elections.
Armed gangs in Haiti control an estimated 70% to 90% of Port-au-Prince and have expanded their reach into surrounding regions such as Artibonite and the southeast through extortion, roadblocks and violent attacks.
The Gang Suppression Force has struggled against severe manpower deficits, fielding only around 1,500 to 2,000 personnel out of its planned strength.
As of Oct. 12, the Gang Suppression Force had 1,563 uniformed members, far fewer than the 5,550 authorised by the Security Council, according to the U.N.
El Salvador had deployed at least 124 personnel to the force prior to the ambush, according to a U.N. report.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.