Haiti gang base targeted in strikes by Salvadoran forces, Nayib Bukele says

Troops from El Salvador have attacked a compound outside Port-au-Prince that serves as a central base for Haiti's powerful 400 Mawozo criminal network, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday. The coordinated air and ground offensive represents the first major combat engagement by Salvadoran forces since more than 2,000 soldiers were sent to the Caribbean country last month.

Bukele shared video footage on social media depicting attack helicopters firing upon a large property situated in Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb known as the faction's primary stronghold. In the accompanying statement, he claimed that armed forces had demolished the base belonging to gang figurehead Wilson Joseph, commonly known as Lanmo San Jou, adding that many occupants fled the scene rather than offering resistance.

Independent verification of the claims remains pending. While multiple news outlets cited accounts suggesting up to 20 people lost their lives during the assault, official casualty numbers have not been formally released by authorities, nor has the total level of destruction at the site been independently confirmed. Reports indicate that Joseph was not inside the property when the strikes occurred.

Local forces participated alongside the foreign contingent, with reporting by the Miami Herald indicating that a drone squad from the Haitian National Police coordinated with Salvadoran personnel. Following the strike, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime voiced appreciation for El Salvador's role in tackling violent groups and stated that joint security efforts would persist alongside the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force.

El Salvador authorized its military contingent last month following the armed abduction of four Salvadoran air force technicians who had been shopping for provisions in October while serving with the international force. Bukele has demanded the immediate release of the service members, pledging to continue military pressure until the captives are returned.

The unilateral deployment and combat actions have sparked debate regarding command structures and international legality, as observers question whether Salvadoran forces are operating strictly under the UN-backed mandate. Human rights advocates, including Amnesty International, have warned both governments to ensure foreign military operations fully adhere to human rights standards.

Haiti has experienced prolonged institutional breakdown and severe violence, with armed groups dominating broad swathes of the metropolitan capital and neighboring areas. United Nations statistics indicate that over 5,700 individuals were killed or wounded in gang-related violence or counter-gang operations across Haiti between January and mid-September this year. The 400 Mawozo network has long been linked to extensive kidnapping schemes, illicit arms trading, extortion, and homicide throughout the region.