El Salvador Deploys 2,000 Soldiers to Rescue Technicians in Haiti
El Salvador has deployed over 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to rescue four missing aviation technicians kidnapped by gangs in October.
The Government of El Salvador has deployed more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to rescue four military aviation technicians who disappeared on October 18, 2026. The technicians, members of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, were ambushed in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, approximately 12 kilometers from Port-au-Prince. While some Haitian officials initially estimated the troop count at 1,300, the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the larger force on October 29.
President Nayib Bukele and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé coordinated the large-scale operation via telephone, with the Haitian government designating the rescue as an absolute priority. Logistical support began on October 27 when a Colombian Air Force C-130H Hercules aircraft transported personnel and equipment from San Salvador to Port-au-Prince. President Bukele stated that the troops will also assist in security efforts against armed gangs and threatened to "wipe out" these groups if the technicians are not released.
The military escalation occurs amid severe instability in Haiti. The Provisional Electoral Council recently postponed the first round of presidential and parliamentary elections from December 13, 2026, to July 18, 2027, citing pervasive gang violence.
