El Salvador to deploy more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti to find missing military personnel

El Salvador will deploy more than 2,000 soldiers to Haiti as part of a large-scale operation to locate and rescue four Salvadoran military technicians who went missing following an ambush earlier this month.

The Salvadoran government confirmed the deployment on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a telephone conversation between President Nayib Bukele and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

The four missing personnel are members of El Salvador's Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and disappeared after an ambush on Oct. 18 in Santo, approximately 12 kilometres from Port-au-Prince. The Haitian government has described the incident as a kidnapping and identified locating the missing personnel as an absolute priority.

“El Salvador will proceed with the operational deployment of more than 2,000 soldiers to rescue the four Salvadoran technicians, as part of a large-scale operation supported by various countries and international organizations,” the ministry said.

According to the statement, Bukele and Fils-Aimé discussed the rescue operation and the continuation of El Salvador's security mission in Haiti.

Bukele emphasized the scale of the operation while reaffirming his country's commitment to supporting efforts to combat gangs and improve security in Haiti.

In a separate statement, Fils-Aimé said the two governments had reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral coordination and operational cooperation. This includes support for search operations and efforts to address Haiti's security challenges.

The Haitian government also expressed solidarity with the missing Salvadoran personnel and their families, reiterating its determination to work with international partners to restore security and stability.

It said it remained engaged with its partners and committed to cooperation that respects the authority of the Haitian state, with the ultimate goal of restoring national security.

Meanwhile, reports from military flight trackers and Salvadoran media indicate that a Colombian Air Force C-130H Hercules aircraft, registration FAC1005, conducted an initial logistical support flight for the mission on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The aircraft reportedly departed from San Salvador International Airport and landed in Port-au-Prince. Salvadoran media reported that it transported personnel and equipment from El Salvador as part of efforts to reinforce the country's contingent in Haiti.