Four Salvadoran Soldiers Missing After Gang Attack in Haiti
The incident marks the most significant assault on the international force since its deployment to combat rampant gang violence.
Gangs in Haiti targeted an armored vehicle with explosives and fire on Sunday, leaving four soldiers from El Salvador unaccounted for. This incident is the first major attack against the international gang suppression force since its operations began in the Caribbean nation.
The attack occurred in Croix-des-Bouquets, a part of the capital Port-au-Prince now under gang control. The four soldiers were aviation technicians returning to their camp when the vehicle was ambushed, according to a statement from the Armed Forces of El Salvador. Authorities reported that the soldiers managed to escape the burning vehicle, and efforts are underway to locate them in coordination with international forces.
Helicopters dispatched to the area also came under fire as they attempted to approach the location. "Multiple attempts to approach by land and air have been hampered by the intensity of the fighting," the Salvadoran military stated.
The gang suppression force confirmed it is assessing the situation and advised residents in the affected area to stay indoors. The area is known to be controlled by gangs, including Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent, and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou. Both gang leaders have previously been sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. This event occurs as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in over a decade and highlights the pervasive influence of gangs, which are estimated to control about 70% of Port-au-Prince.
Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, suggested that while some gangs are facing pressure from the new force, "others want to show that they can strike back." He added that if the soldiers are being held, it could provide the groups with leverage for negotiations and to pressure security forces.
The U.N. Security Council authorized the deployment of a 5,550-member gang suppression force in September 2025, intended to replace a previous Kenyan-led multinational force that faced challenges with funding and resources. The current force has over 1,500 troops on the ground from countries including Chad, Jamaica, and Guatemala.
The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the situation in Haiti, with the attack anticipated to be a central topic. Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people in Haiti, and the U.N. reports that more than 5,700 people have been killed or injured between January and mid-September, with over 230 kidnappings.