El Salvador Deploys 2,000 Troops to Haiti Following Missing Soldiers

El Salvador has dispatched over 2,000 soldiers to Haiti on a mission to locate and retrieve four missing nationals who disappeared nearly two weeks ago. The deployment follows an incident where four air force technicians, serving within a United Nations-backed anti-gang organisation, were ambushed while returning to their base in an armoured vehicle through a territory controlled by armed groups known as Croix-des-Bouquets.

The large-scale operation was detailed in a foreign ministry statement issued on Wednesday, following communications between El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and the Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aime. According to the announcement, the deployed personnel will simultaneously participate in broader security measures directed against armed factions operating within the Caribbean nation.

Tensions between the two nations heightened after the disappearance of the servicemen. Earlier in the week, Haitian authorities transferred four bodies to special forces, suggesting they belonged to the missing personnel. However, President Bukele disputed the identification, noting that one set of remains belonged to a child and another featured a military uniform from a different country.

El Salvador deploys thousands of troops to Haiti to find missing military personnel.

Prior to the deployment, President Bukele issued a warning via social media stating intentions to dismantle gangs in Haiti if the Salvadoran personnel were not freed. The ongoing search highlights challenges faced by the multinational Gang Suppression Force, which received expanded powers from the UN Security Council in October of last year to combat severe gang violence.

Security Challenges in Haiti

Haiti has experienced prolonged instability, exacerbated by a political vacuum following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Armed groups currently dominate substantial portions of the capital, Port-au-Prince. United Nations reports indicate that gang-related violence has resulted in more than 5,700 deaths this year alone, as multinational security units encounter difficulties penetrating heavily controlled regions.

The current military operation by El Salvador has received backing from multiple international organisations and foreign governments as efforts continue to locate the missing technicians and address escalating regional security concerns.