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El Salvador rushes some 1,000 troops to Haiti after gang ambush, source says
Reuters • • world
Key Points:
- El Salvador has deployed approximately 1,000 troops to Haiti following the disappearance of four Salvadoran UN-backed security mission members in a gang ambush near Port-au-Prince on October 18.
- The arrival of Salvadoran forces significantly increases El Salvador’s involvement in Haiti’s ongoing gang conflict, although command structure, duration of deployment, and potential reinforcements remain unclear.
- The UN-backed Gang Suppression Force in Haiti, now about one-third of its planned strength, has struggled to improve security amid expanding gang influence that has displaced nearly 1.5 million people.
- President Nayib Bukele launched a military operation to locate the missing Salvadorans, who are believed to be hostages, while no Haitian gang has claimed responsibility for the ambush.
- The US aided the troop deployment with transport aircraft, and some Salvadoran troops may operate outside the UN mission’s command, possibly coordinating with a private military company hired by Haiti for anti-gang operations.
