El Salvador deploys over 2,000 troops to Haiti amid search for missing technicians
El Salvador has sent more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to search for four Salvadoran air force technicians missing for nearly two weeks. The deployment was announced by President Nayib Bukele and is also intended to support efforts against gangs, amid rising tensions between the two countries over the men’s disappearance.
The technicians were travelling in an armoured vehicle to their base with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force when they were ambushed in Croix-des-Bouquets, an area controlled by armed groups; no gang has claimed responsibility. Haiti handed over four bodies said to be the missing men, but Bukele rejected the identification. The UN says more than 5,700 people have been killed in gang-related violence in Haiti this year, while the multinational force has struggled to reach areas under gang control.
In short
- El Salvador deployed over 2,000 soldiers to Haiti.
- Four Salvadoran technicians have been missing for nearly two weeks.
- Gangs control much of Port-au-Prince amid worsening violence.
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The case for
Sending troops could strengthen the search for the missing technicians and help protect communities facing severe gang violence, especially where the multinational force has struggled to operate. Supporters may also see a direct deployment as a way for El Salvador to meet its obligations to its personnel and back Haiti’s efforts to restore security.
The case against
A large foreign deployment could heighten tensions with Haiti and risk compromising its sovereignty, particularly while the identity of the bodies remains disputed. Critics may question whether adding troops will improve security in areas controlled by armed groups, or instead expose more people to danger and deepen the conflict.
Explained simply
Haiti has faced years of escalating violence by armed gangs, which control parts of the country and have weakened the reach of public authorities. A UN-backed international force, known as the Gang Suppression Force, is working with Haitian authorities to curb the gangs, but has struggled to operate in areas they control.
The missing Salvadoran technicians were travelling to their base with that force when their armoured vehicle was ambushed in Croix-des-Bouquets. Haiti’s authorities handed over four bodies they said were the technicians, but El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele disputed the identification. No gang has claimed responsibility for the attack.
El Salvador’s soldiers are being sent both to search for the men and to support efforts against the gangs. The case has strained relations between Haiti and El Salvador, while the scale of violence has made security a major challenge for Haiti and the international mission.
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Originally published by BBC World as “El Salvador sends 2,000 troops to Haiti to rescue four missing soldiers”.