El Salvador’s President Confirms Destruction of Haitian Gang Headquarters

Haiti’s National Police drone unit took part in the operation, with assistance from Salvadoran soldiers, according to the Miami Herald and multiple sources.

After the strikes, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils‑Aimé thanked the Salvadoran armed forces for their commitment in combating gangs and affirmed that the two countries would continue cooperating, together with the UN‑backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), to regain control of the territory and restore state authority.

“The gangs will get no respite,” he added.

Approximately 2,000 Salvadoran troops were sent to Haiti last month following the abduction of four air‑force technicians at gunpoint while they were shopping for food in October.

President Bukele pledged to bring the men home alive and warned the gang to release them immediately, or else his military would apply sustained pressure.

The four abducted men were members of the Gang Suppression Force, a multinational contingent originally led by soldiers from Chad.

President Bukele’s decision to dispatch thousands of Salvadoran troops to Haiti has drawn concern, as critics note that not all personnel operate under the GSF command structure, raising questions about the operational legitimacy and legality of their activities in the Caribbean nation.

Amnesty International has urged both nations to ensure that all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law.

These concerns have not deterred Bukele, who continues to directly warn and target gang leaders.

The assault on the alleged gang headquarters appears to have been prompted by a social media user urging Bukele to attack the complex.

He replied to the post, asking for the exact address, “Where is that house? Give us the exact address, and we’ll destroy it,” adding that the post had been removed for violating X’s policies.

The 400 Mawozo gang is Haiti’s largest criminal organization, known for kidnappings, extortion, murders, and arms trafficking.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, remains largely under gang control.

The United Nations reports that at least 5,700 people have been killed or injured in Haiti between January 1 and September 11 this year, either by gangs or during operations against them.

El Salvador has seen substantial reductions in gang violence under President Bukele as part of a sweeping crackdown, and he has pledged to replicate this approach in Haiti.

Human rights groups, however, argue that his methods are unlawful, citing the indefinite extension of emergency laws, the treatment of detainees in El Salvador’s high‑security mega‑prison, and mass trials of alleged gang members.

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