Salvadoran Troops and Haitian Police Strike Major Gang Headquarters, Leaving 20 Dead
President Nayib Bukele announces a Salvadoran military strike against Haitian gangs, resulting in 20 deaths as human rights groups demand transparency and ac...
POLICY WIRE — Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has announced that his military forces launched a strike against one of Haiti’s most powerful criminal syndicates.
In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, the right-wing leader claimed the operation was successful in destroying the residence belonging to gang leader Lanmo San Jou as well as the primary base of the 400 Mawozo gang.
Bukele shared footage depicting helicopters hovering over Croix-des-Bouquets, an area near the capital city, while engaging targets. The mission took place on Sunday and was carried out by Haitian police units bolstered by Salvadoran soldiers, reportedly resulting in 20 fatalities.
This escalation occurs just before Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime travels to visit El Salvador next week to negotiate the continued presence of Salvadoran personnel in the country currently battling organized crime.
Amnesty International has responded by calling on both governments to ensure all military actions adhere to international human rights standards. The organization is demanding the public release of the formal agreement governing the mass deployment of troops.
Ana Piquer, Amnesty’s director for the Americas stated that both nations must clarify how they monitor these forces, the specific rules regarding the use of force, and the mechanisms for accountability. She emphasized the need for citizens to report potential abuses without facing retaliation.
Piquer further urged the leaders to establish immediate and impartial investigations into any claims of human rights violations. She warned that efforts to combat gang control must not repeat the patterns of impunity and abuse seen in previous foreign interventions within Haiti.
To date, 2,000 Salvadoran troops have been stationed in Haiti following a mid-October ambush where four soldiers disappeared. While Bukele initially framed the mission as a recovery operation for missing personnel, he has recently suggested a broader objective of dismantling Haitian gangs similar to the tactics used in his home country.
Haiti is scheduled to hold elections in July and October of next year, representing the first vote in over a decade.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
