El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele says the country has launched a military operation to rescue four Salvadoran aviation technicians missing in Haiti after a gang ambush, and warned of a stronger response if they are not returned safely.
The men disappeared on Sunday, Oct. 18, after an armored vehicle carrying them was attacked with gunfire and explosives in Santo. Santo is in the Croix-des-Bouquets area outside Port-au-Prince. They escaped the burning vehicle.
Contact with them was lost. Fighting has hampered efforts to reach the area by land and air. Bukele said Wednesday that Haitian gangs were holding the four hostage.
He did not name a group or give details of the rescue operation. He said the Salvadoran team in Haiti provides technical support, including medical evacuations, rather than taking part in combat. Haiti’s government has called the technicians’ release an “absolute priority.”
It said it is coordinating with the international Gang Suppression Force. As of the latest reports available Thursday, there was no confirmation that the four had been found. There was also no confirmation that they were safe.
Details of the operation remained unclear.