El Salvador president says bodies found in Haiti are not those of hostages
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said four bodies handed to his forces in Haiti were not those of the four Salvadoran air technicians missing after an ambush. The men were serving with a UN-backed force tackling gang violence, and Bukele said his military contingent had been sent to bring them back alive.
Bukele said one body was a child’s and another wore a uniform from a different country; the remains also included foreign identification cards and uniforms. About 450 Salvadoran soldiers had been deployed, according to a Haitian newspaper, while an earlier report that the bodies might be the missing men said they were badly burned and needed medical identification. The four had been travelling in an armoured vehicle through Croix-des-Bouquets when armed groups attacked; no gang has claimed responsibility.
In short
- Bukele says the bodies handed to Salvadoran forces are not the missing men.
- About 450 Salvadoran soldiers were reportedly deployed to Haiti.
- The four technicians disappeared after an ambush in a gang-controlled area.
Explained simply
Haiti has struggled with violence from armed gangs, which control parts of the country and have attacked people and vehicles. A UN-backed international force was sent to support efforts to improve security; Salvadoran military personnel are among those serving with it.
The four missing Salvadorans were air technicians travelling in an armoured vehicle near Croix-des-Bouquets when it came under attack. Their disappearance has drawn attention to the risks faced by people supporting the security mission and to the difficulty of identifying remains after an attack.