El Salvador Launches Military Operation in Haiti After Gangs Kidnap Peacekeepers
El Salvador launched a military operation in Haiti after armed gangs kidnapped four Salvadoran UN peacekeepers, with President Nayib Bukele issuing a stern warning.
El Salvador has launched a military operation in Haiti following the abduction of four Salvadoran military personnel by armed gangs, President Nayib Bukele announced. The four technicians, who are part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission's air wing, went missing after their armored vehicle was attacked on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.
In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, Bukele warned gang leaders that they must release the hostages unharmed. We already eliminated the gangs in El Salvador, and we are capable of eliminating you as well, he stated, emphasizing that the mission in Haiti is strictly humanitarian and focused on medical evacuations. The incident marks the first major attack against the international security force since its deployment.
The crisis unfolds against the backdrop of severe security deterioration in Haiti, where armed gangs currently control large portions of the capital. The international security force, backed by the United Nations, has struggled to contain the violence, operating well below its authorized troop strength as the country prepares for long-overdue general elections.
