The government of El Salvador has deployed a contingent of 100 special forces soldiers to Haiti to facilitate the rescue of four of its own military personnel who went missing after being targeted by gangs. Two officials confirmed the deployment to The Associated Press, noting that the soldiers arrived on Thursday to begin recovery efforts.
This military operation follows a formal announcement by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who has vowed a robust response if the four aviation technicians are not returned safely. An additional 100 soldiers are expected to arrive in Haiti on Thursday night, according to a government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the details. Salvadoran authorities are currently operating under the belief that the four missing individuals remain alive.
The incident occurred on Sunday in the area of Croix-des-Bouquets, where the soldiers were traveling in an armored vehicle. According to authorities, the group came under fire from gangs that utilized explosives during the assault. On Wednesday evening, the Haitian government publicly confirmed that the 4 soldiers had been abducted. This event represents a significant escalation in violence, marking the first major attack since the launch of an international gang suppression force, which replaced a previous Kenyan-led effort that struggled with funding and resource constraints.
Haitian police and international forces have been engaged in ongoing combat with armed groups in the region since the attack, with authorities urging local residents to stay indoors for safety. The area of the attack is known to be controlled by several criminal organizations, including Chèn Méchan, 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou, and Kraze Barye, led by Vitel'homme Innocent. Both gang leaders are currently under U.S. and U.N. sanctions. To date, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Salvadoran soldiers.
The Miami Herald first reported the deployment.
Janetsky reported from Phoenix, Arizona.
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