Bukele deploys over 2,000 troops to Haiti to rescue his four soldiers kidnapped by gangs

The Government of El Salvador confirmed the deployment of more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to participate in a rescue operation for four Salvadoran soldiers who have been missing since Oct. 18, following an attack carried out by armed gangs on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.

According to a report by the Salvadoran Foreign Ministry, President Nayib Bukele spoke on Wednesday with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé about the operation and the continuation of El Salvador's military mission in the Caribbean nation.

"El Salvador will continue the operational deployment of more than 2,000 soldiers to rescue the four Salvadoran soldiers, in a large-scale operation supported by several countries and international organizations," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Ambush and Bukele's warning

The four missing persons are military aviation technicians who were members of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), an international mission authorized by the United Nations to support the Haitian police in their fight against criminal organizations.

The attack took place on Oct. 18, when armed men intercepted their armored vehicle as they were returning to a base on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. According to Reuters, the attackers used gunfire and explosives, causing the vehicle to catch fire.

The soldiers managed to escape, but their whereabouts have been unknown ever since.

Last week, Bukele warned the Haitian gangs that he would step up operations against them if they did not release the Salvadorans. The president even threatened to crack down on these groups as he has done in El Salvador, where his security strategy has drastically reduced gang violence.

World

Bukele launches military operation in Haiti to rescue 4 Salvadorans kidnapped by gangs: ‘Today’s attack is nothing compared to what is coming’

Emmanuel Alejandro Rondón

Haiti faces serious security crisis

The new personnel will bolster search operations in Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, an area near Port-au-Prince where powerful criminal organizations operate.

According to The Washington Post, gangs control approximately 90% of the Haitian capital, while the violence has displaced about 1.5 million people.

The Salvadoran deployment also coincides with a further postponement of the elections in Haiti, whose first round has been rescheduled for July 2027 due to ongoing insecurity.

As of Thursday, Salvadoran authorities had not confirmed the rescue of the four soldiers.