SAN SALVADOR, October 22, 2026 (News Desk): El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has threatened Haitian criminal gangs with a more forceful military operation if they fail to release four Salvadoran military personnel who went missing after an armed attack in Haiti.
Bukele announced on Wednesday that his government had launched a military operation to rescue the four men, demanding that they be returned alive and unharmed. He warned gang leaders that they would face a stronger response if the hostages were not safely released.
“Today’s attack is nothing compared to what is coming if they do not release the four hostages alive,” Bukele said in a post on social media platform X, adding that his government’s warning should not be dismissed as an empty threat.
The four Salvadoran personnel are aviation technicians serving with the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force, an international mission supporting Haitian security forces in their fight against armed criminal groups.
According to Salvadoran military officials, the men went missing on Sunday after their armoured vehicle came under gunfire and was attacked with explosives in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The vehicle caught fire, forcing the personnel to flee. Contact with them was subsequently lost.
Rescue efforts have been complicated by intense fighting in the area. Salvadoran military officials said attempts to reach the missing personnel by land and air had faced serious difficulties, with helicopters also coming under fire.
Bukele said El Salvador’s mission in Haiti primarily involves pilots and technical personnel responsible for medical evacuations and saving lives, rather than conducting combat operations.
The Haitian government has described the release of the abducted personnel as an absolute priority. Officials said they were coordinating with the international security force to strengthen operations and mobilise the resources needed to secure the men’s release.
The attack has raised concerns about the safety of international personnel deployed to Haiti, where powerful gangs continue to challenge government authority and control large parts of Port-au-Prince.
The Gang Suppression Force includes personnel from several countries and was established to help Haitian police confront heavily armed criminal organisations. More than 2,000 personnel have been deployed as part of the multinational effort, although the mission continues to face significant security challenges.
Haiti has endured years of political instability, kidnappings and gang-related violence. According to the United Nations, the crisis has displaced nearly 1.5 million people in recent years and caused thousands of casualties.
