Haiti Conflict: El Salvador Deploys 2,000 Troops

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele posted videos on Wednesday showing armed soldiers patrolling Haitian streets.

The footage depicts troops moving through urban areas and interacting with local residents. Bukele challenged local gangs to engage, writing on X, “Gather your gangs so we can go fight with them.”

The military presence stems from an incident on October 18. Four Salvadoran aviation technicians were attacked by gangs and have not been found. On Tuesday, Haitian police announced they located the vehicle used by the group. The burned truck was found in the Santo neighborhood of Croix-des-Bouquets, a community outside Port-au-Prince controlled by gangs.

Police conducted the search alongside the United Nations-backed multinational Gang Suppression Force and Salvadoran troops. The disappearance of the technicians prompted Bukele to send more than 2,000 soldiers and military hardware to Haiti. Bukele has governed El Salvador since 2019 with a strict crime crackdown, jailing tens of thousands and maintaining a state of emergency.

On Tuesday, Bukele shared a video claiming Salvadoran helicopters opened fire on gangs attacking forces from Chad. He stated, “The gangs no longer have the upper hand.” In a separate post, he told Haitians, “We are right there beside you.”

Questions have arisen regarding command authority over the foreign forces. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters that only about 200 Salvadoran soldiers fall under the GSF’s jurisdiction. He emphasized that security operations must respect international human rights law. Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime countered that foreign forces are supporting the state, not replacing it. He spoke on Tuesday alongside Salvadoran, Haitian, and GSF commanders.

Gang leader Wilson Joseph, known as Lanmo Sanjou, wrote to the UN Secretary-General seeking dialogue. He expressed concern over civilian killings amid the increased fighting. Haiti has lacked an elected government since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. The Provisional Electoral Council recently delayed national elections. The first round of voting is now set for July 18, 2027, with a second round on October 4, 2027. Fewer than one million voters have registered out of 6.5 million eligible citizens.

Violence has disrupted aid delivery, leaving 5.94 million Haitians facing acute hunger. Doctors Without Borders reported that 30 people, including women and children, were injured in the eight days following the October 18 disappearance. Heavy gunfire and drone explosions caused the injuries. Davina Hayles, the MSF head of mission in Haiti, stated that the arrival of additional international security forces is expected to worsen the situation.