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

Deadly Haitian gangs over the weekend ambushed members of an international security force deployed in Haiti, kidnapping four Salvadoran Air Force members, authorities confirmed on Monday. The U.N. Security Council-approved Gang Suppression Force (GSF) detailed in a statement that one of its vehicles came under attack by gang members on Saturday in Santo, a village located in the Croix-des-Bouquets commune northeast from Port-au-Prince. Per the statement, GSF personnel responded in accordance with the established Rules of Engagement, with aerial support provided by the force’s helicopters. On Monday, El Salvador’s Armed Forces confirmed that four Salvadoran aircraft technicians were kidnapped in the attack. The four officials were aboard the ambushed vehicle at the time it came under attack by heavy gunfire and explosives. While the vehicle caught fire, the four officials managed to escape from it in time. While the support helicopters also came under heavy fire, it successfully managed to force the gangs to retreat. “At the same time, support operations were launched in coordination with contingents from other countries deployed in Haiti. Multiple attempts have been made to reach the area by land and air, but these have been hampered by the intensity of the fighting and the security conditions in the area,” the statement read in part. Unnamed Haitian government sources reportedly confirmed to Le Nouvelliste that the four Salvadoran officials were captured by members of the Chen Mechan (“Mean Dogs” in Haitian Creole) gang. According to the newspaper, one of the sources stated that the officials, “without informing the Haitian National Police,” utilized Google Maps to go to a store in Santo, stressing, “since then, we have had no news of them.” Additionally, the same source detailed that the GSF alongside the Haitian Police conducted an operation in the area to try to locate the missing soldiers. “Several members of the Chen Mechan gang were killed. But, according to the information we have, the Salvadorans may be held hostage,” the source disclosed. The attack occurred just hours before the U.N. Security Council held a meeting Monday to discuss the ongoing violent situation in Haiti. During the meeting, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Carlos Ruiz Massieu detailed that over 1,000 people have been killed and over 100 were abducted between July and September. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz condemned the attack during the meeting and detailed that it is believed that the four men survived but remain unaccounted for. Waltz expressed his solidarity and support to El Salvador and vowed to bring the missing soldiers back home. “To the gangs and gang leaders who carried out this cowardly attack, if you think you’re going to intimidate this coalition into retreat, you have made a terrible mistake,” Waltz said. Similarly, El Salvador’s ambassador to the U.N., Egriselda López, condemned the ambush against the security forces that led to the capture of the four officials, stressing, “This incident is a reminder of the serious risks faced by personnel contributing to international efforts to secure security in Haiti.” The ongoing instability and rampant gang violence in Haiti led to the postponement of the planned December 2026 elections in the country. Haiti has not had an election since late President Jovenel Moïse was elected in 2016. Moïse was assassinated in July 2021. Ruiz Massieu referred to the postponement of the elections during his Monday remarks at the U.N. Security Council meeting and emphasized that “repeatedly announcing election dates” without a proper assessment of their feasibility erodes public trust and the credibility of Haitian institutions. He reportedly affirmed that he expected elections could happen next year “if security allowed.” Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.