Four Salvadoran Air Force technicians deployed with an international security mission in Haiti were kidnapped over the weekend after armed gang members ambushed their vehicle northeast of the capital, authorities confirmed. The incident unfolded on Saturday in Santo, a village located within the Croix-des-Bouquets commune northeast of Port-au-Prince.
The U.N. Security Council-approved Gang Suppression Force (GSF) stated that one of its vehicles was targeted in the assault. Personnel aboard the vehicle responded in accordance with established rules of engagement, while the force’s helicopters provided aerial support. El Salvador’s Armed Forces confirmed on Monday that four aircraft technicians were captured during the attack. The officials were inside the vehicle when it was struck by heavy gunfire and explosives, causing the transport to catch fire. Although the four men managed to escape the burning vehicle, they were subsequently captured. Support helicopters that arrived at the scene also came under intense fire before managing to force the attacking gang members to retreat.
Rescue and recovery efforts faced immediate hurdles. According to the GSF, support operations were launched in coordination with contingents from other nations stationed in Haiti. Multiple land and air attempts to reach the location were hampered by the severity of the fighting and dangerous security conditions on the ground. Unnamed Haitian government sources indicated to local media that the technicians were captured by members of the Chen Mechan gang, a Creole phrase translating to “Mean Dogs.” According to these sources, the officials had traveled to a store in Santo using digital mapping software without notifying the Haitian National Police. Joint operations involving the GSF and the Haitian Police were subsequently launched to find the missing personnel. While several members of the Chen Mechan gang were reportedly killed during these follow-up operations, the Salvadorans remained unaccounted for as hostages.
The high-stakes ambush occurred just hours before the U.N. Security Council convened on Monday to address the worsening security crisis in Haiti. During the briefing, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), reported that more than 1,000 people were killed and over 100 abducted between July and September.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz strongly condemned the attack during the session, stating that authorities believe the four men survived the initial ambush but remained missing. Waltz voiced solidarity with El Salvador and pledged efforts to secure the safe return of the soldiers. Directing his remarks at the perpetrators, Waltz warned that the coalition would not be intimidated into retreat. El Salvador’s ambassador to the United Nations, Egriselda López, also condemned the ambush, noting that the incident highlights the severe dangers confronting international personnel working to restore order in the country.
The ongoing volatility and widespread control exerted by armed gangs have already disrupted the nation’s political calendar, forcing the postponement of planned elections originally slated for December 2026. Haiti has not held a national election since late President Jovenel Moïse was elected in 2016. Moïse was assassinated in July 2021. Addressing the electoral delay during the Security Council meeting, Ruiz Massieu cautioned that repeatedly setting target dates without realistic assessments of security conditions damages public trust and institutional credibility, though he expressed hope that voting might proceed next year if security conditions improve.
