In short
- El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday that his military destroyed the headquarters of Haiti’s 400 Mawozo gang in a ground and air attack on a complex outside Port-au-Prince.
- More than 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers were deployed to Haiti last month after four Salvadoran air force technicians were abducted at gunpoint while food shopping in October.
- The Miami Herald reported that 400 Mawozo leader Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph was not at the complex at the time of the strike.
- The United Nations says at least 5,700 people were killed or injured in Haiti by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September this year.
- Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked the Salvadoran military and said both countries would keep working with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force.
El Salvador’s military destroyed the headquarters of Haiti’s 400 Mawozo gang in a ground and air attack on a complex outside Port-au-Prince, President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday, posting video of helicopters firing on the site. The video could not be independently verified and no death toll has been confirmed.
What did Nayib Bukele say happened?
Writing on X on Tuesday, Bukele said: “We destroyed the house of Lanmò San Jou and the 400 Mawozo gang’s headquarters.” He said most gang members fled without trying to fight. The video he published shows helicopters circling and firing at a large complex, reportedly in the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets, the gang’s stronghold, as dozens of people run out of the property.
Was anyone killed in the strike?
Several media outlets reported that as many as 20 people were killed, but no authority has confirmed that figure. There has also been no official confirmation of the extent of the damage, and Haitians have questioned whether the complex was destroyed or only damaged. The Miami Herald reported that the gang’s leader, Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph, was not there at the time.
Why are Salvadoran troops in Haiti?
El Salvador sent more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti last month after four of its air force technicians were abducted at gunpoint while food shopping in October. The four were working as part of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), made up of troops from several nations and initially led by soldiers from Chad. Bukele has vowed to bring the men home alive and warned the gang to release them or face sustained pressure. The strike was El Salvador’s first military action on a Haitian target since that deployment.
Who took part in the attack?
Haiti’s National Police drone task force was involved, supported by Salvadoran soldiers, the Miami Herald reported, citing several sources. Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked the Salvadoran military for its “commitment in the fight against gangs” and said both countries would keep working with the GSF to “regain control of the territory and restore state authority”. He added: “THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!”
What concerns have been raised about the mission?
Critics say not all of the Salvadoran troops are working within the GSF’s command structure, and have questioned the operational legitimacy and legality of their actions in Haiti. Amnesty International has urged both countries to “ensure all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law”. Political oversight of military action has also been contested in Washington, where the US House blocked a bid to impeach Hegseth over the Iran war.
What is the 400 Mawozo gang?
400 Mawozo is the largest criminal organisation in Haiti and is known for kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking. Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, remains largely under gang control. The United Nations says at least 5,700 people were killed or injured there by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September this year.
What has Bukele promised in Haiti?
El Salvador has recorded large reductions in gang violence under Bukele’s crackdown, and he has vowed to repeat that in Haiti. Human rights groups argue his methods are unlawful, pointing to the open-ended extension of emergency laws, the treatment of detainees in El Salvador’s high-security mega-prison and the mass trials of alleged gang members.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 400 Mawozo gang?
400 Mawozo is the largest criminal organisation in Haiti and is known for kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking. Its leader is Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph.
Why did El Salvador send troops to Haiti?
El Salvador deployed more than 2,000 soldiers last month after four of its air force technicians were abducted at gunpoint in October while food shopping. The four were working with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force.
Was the gang’s leader killed in the attack?
No authority has said that. The Miami Herald reported that Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph was not at the complex at the time of the strike.
How many people have been killed or injured in Haiti’s gang violence?
The United Nations says at least 5,700 people were killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September this year.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)