Haiti Gangs Ambush Foreign Troops, Kidnap Four Salvadoran Air Force Members

Haiti's deadly gangs ambushed foreign troops over the weekend, kidnapping four Salvadoran Air Force members, authorities confirmed on Monday. The attack took place in Santo, a village in the Croix-des-Bouquets commune northeast of Port-au-Prince, where a vehicle belonging to the U.N. Security Council-approved Gang Suppression Force (GSF) came under fire from gang members on Saturday. According to the GSF, its personnel responded in accordance with the Rules of Engagement, supported by aerial assistance from the force’s helicopters. El Salvador’s Armed Forces later confirmed that four Salvadoran aircraft technicians were taken captive during the attack. They were inside the vehicle when it was struck by heavy gunfire and explosives. Although the vehicle caught fire, the four individuals escaped before being captured. The helicopters providing support also faced intense fire but succeeded in forcing the gangs to retreat. Multiple attempts to reach the area by land and air were hindered by the intensity of the conflict and poor security conditions, according to the GSF statement. Unnamed Haitian government sources told Le Nouvelliste that the four Salvadoran officials were captured by members of the Chen Mechan (“Mean Dogs”) gang. One source claimed the officials used Google Maps to visit a store in Santo without notifying the Haitian National Police, adding that there had been no further information about them since. The GSF and Haitian Police conducted an operation in the area to locate the missing soldiers. Several members of the Chen Mechan gang were killed during the operation, though the Salvadorans might still be held hostage, the source said. The attack happened shortly before the U.N. Security Council convened a meeting on Monday to address the ongoing crisis in Haiti. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu, noted that more than 1,000 people have died and over 100 have been abducted between July and September. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz condemned the attack, stating that while the four men likely survived, they remained unaccounted for. He expressed solidarity with El Salvador and pledged to ensure the return of the missing soldiers. El Salvador’s ambassador to the U.N., Egriselda López, criticized the ambush, highlighting the dangers faced by personnel working to enhance security in Haiti. The ongoing instability has delayed the planned December 2026 elections, which have not been held since former president Jovenel Moïse was elected in 2016. Moïse was assassinated in July 2021.