El Salvador’s Bukele threatens Haitian gangs over abducted soldiers
El Salvador has initiated a military operation to rescue four of its soldiers abducted by gangs in Haiti, President Nayib Bukele announced on X.
The four men, aviation technicians with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), have been missing since they fled a burning armoured vehicle in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, Port-au-Prince.
Gangs opened fire on the vehicle three days earlier, marking the first major attack since the international force began operating in the violence-wracked Caribbean country last year.
The area where the attack occurred is controlled by powerful gangs, including Chèn Méchan, Kraze Barye, and 400 Mawozo.
Both Vitel’Homme Innocent and Lanmo Sanjou, leaders of the latter two groups, have been sanctioned by the UN and the US.
Bukele warns of retaliation
President Bukele, known for his intense crackdown on gang violence in El Salvador, warned that a more forceful response is coming if the personnel are not released alive and well.
Do not take our word for empty threats,” the president wrote, addressing the gangs allegedly responsible for holding the four men. “We have already finished with the gangs in El Salvador, and we can finish with you too.”
El Salvador is among several countries – including Chad, Jamaica, and Guatemala – to form part of the gang suppression force, with more than 2,000 troops on the ground in Haiti.
The GSF is still fighting gangs in the community where Sunday’s attack occurred, warning residents to remain indoors.
Haiti's response
Haiti’s government issued a news release on Wednesday evening saying the release of the abducted soldiers was an “absolute priority”.
A meeting was held at the prime minister’s office to assess ongoing interventions and determine necessary measures to strengthen operations, in close collaboration with the Gang Repression Force.
It was not immediately clear if Haitian authorities received any confirmation that the Salvadoran soldiers are alive.
Escalating crisis
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Salvadoran troops, which comes as Haiti prepares for its first general election in more than a decade.
The incident showcases the power of the gangs that control an estimated 70 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Gang violence has displaced nearly 1.5 million people in Haiti in recent years. More than 5,700 people have been killed or injured from January through mid-September this year, and more than 230 have been kidnapped, according to the UN.
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