Salvadoran Military Strikes Gang Headquarters in Haiti

Salvadoran military forces have carried out an air and ground strike targeting the main compound of the 400 Mawozo criminal gang near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced the Tuesday operation, which marks the first major direct military action by Salvadoran troops in Haiti since their deployment last month.

The attack targeted a large complex in Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb long established as the stronghold of 400 Mawozo, one of Haiti's dominant organized crime syndicates. Video footage released online showed military helicopters firing on the location while numerous individuals fled the perimeter. Media reports stated that as many as 20 people may have been killed in the raid, though official confirmation of casualties and the exact scale of structural damage remains pending from authorities. Reports also indicated that gang leader Wilson Joseph was not on the premises at the time of the strike.

The operation was conducted in coordination with Haiti's National Police drone unit. San Salvador deployed more than 2,000 troops to Haiti in October following the kidnapping of four Salvadoran technicians affiliated with the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force. President Bukele had previously demanded the immediate release of the abducted personnel and warned that failure to do so would result in direct military actions against gang operations.

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé acknowledged the intervention, stating that Haitian security forces and international partners will maintain joint efforts to restore state control. However, the independent military action by Salvadoran forces has drawn scrutiny from legal experts and rights organizations. Concerns have been raised regarding whether Salvadoran troops are operating within the official command hierarchy of the international Gang Suppression Force or under independent national directives.

Amnesty International urged authorities in both nations to ensure that all Salvadoran military operations in Haiti comply strictly with international human rights standards. Rights groups have previously criticized the Bukele administration's domestic security campaign, citing prolonged emergency measures and mass detentions. According to data published by the United Nations, gang-related violence and counter-operations in Haiti resulted in more than 5,700 deaths and injuries between January and September of this year.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com