El Salvador President Nayib Bukele warned Haitian gang leaders of a possible escalation after four Salvadoran aviation technicians serving with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) disappeared following an ambush in Haiti.
The four members of Task Force Libertad II were attacked Sunday while returning to their camp in an armored vehicle in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, near Port-au-Prince. The Salvadoran Armed Forces initially reported that five personnel were missing but later confirmed that there were four.
According to the GSF, armed individuals opened fire on the vehicle, prompting personnel to return fire under established rules, with helicopter support provided by the force. Local sources cited by La Prensa Gráfica attributed the attack to Viv Ansanm, a criminal coalition led by former police officer Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue.”
Bukele said the four Salvadorans are not combatants, but aviation technicians whose mission is primarily to conduct medical evacuations and save lives. He said they were kidnapped while returning from a local supermarket after buying food.
The Salvadoran president said his government launched a military operation to ensure that the four men return home alive and unharmed. In a message directed at Haitian gang leaders, Bukele warned that the operation carried out so far was only a preview of what could follow if the hostages are not released.
He also recalled his government’s campaign against gangs in El Salvador, saying those responsible should not interpret his warning as an empty threat and still have an opportunity to prevent further escalation.
The Haitian government has declared the rescue of the four Salvadorans an “absolute priority.” Authorities said they are coordinating with the GSF and have mobilized available resources to locate the missing personnel, protect their lives and pursue those responsible for the attack.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti urged citizens to avoid the Santo area because of ongoing clashes between gangs and security forces, warning that roads could be blocked or impassable.
The search and security operations remain ongoing as authorities work to secure the release of the four Salvadoran personnel.