El Salvador sent 100 special forces personnel to Haiti to rescue soldiers held captive by gangs – media
Kyiv • UNN
An elite Salvadoran unit arrived in Haiti to free four soldiers held captive by gangs. Militants were killed during the search operation.
El Salvador sent 100 fighters from an elite special forces unit to Haiti to free four of its servicemen who were kidnapped by local armed gangs. Bloomberg reported this, citing the Miami Herald and the Associated Press, writes UNN.
Details
According to journalists, the special forces arrived in Haiti on October 22. At the same time, El Salvador’s authorities have not yet officially confirmed the deployment of additional troops.
The four Salvadorans were kidnapped on October 18 when they went out to buy groceries. The servicemen were part of the international Anti-Gang Force supported by the UN. According to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, the hostages worked as aviation technicians and handled medical evacuations.
Bukele threatened the Haitian gangs
The president of El Salvador called on the kidnappers to immediately release the servicemen.
We have one goal: to bring our four compatriots home alive and unharmed. We have already put an end to the gangs in El Salvador, and we can put an end to you too
International forces are already conducting an operation to search for the hostages. Several militants were killed during firefights, while at least four members of the international mission were wounded.
The security situation in Haiti remains critical. According to the UN, more than 1,000 people were killed in the country from July to September 2026 alone, while more than 100 became victims of kidnappings.
Armed groups control a significant part of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are expanding their influence into other regions of the country.