El Salvador launches rescue mission for kidnapped aviation technicians in Haiti

El Salvador has deployed military assets to recover four Salvadoran aviation technicians abducted in Haiti. President Nayib Bukele announced the operation on Wednesday, October 22, 2026, with the single objective of bringing the four men home alive and unharmed.

Bukele accused Haitian gangs of kidnapping the men while they were returning from buying food at a supermarket. He issued a stark ultimatum via social media, warning gang leaders that failure to release the hostages would trigger a far more powerful operation. He stated that if the men were returned safely, everything would go back to the way it was before the kidnapping. The president referenced his government's severe crackdown on criminal gangs in El Salvador, suggesting Haitian groups could face similar action.

The four personnel have been missing since Sunday, when gangs opened fire on their armored vehicle in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. The vehicle was hit by explosives and set on fire. The four technicians fled the burning vehicle during the attack. Salvadoran helicopters were deployed to assist, with multiple attempts to approach by land and air hampered by continued fighting and local security conditions. Haiti’s government has declared the abduction an 'absolute priority' and said all necessary resources were being mobilised.

Context of the abduction

The technicians were on a non-combat medical evacuation mission when ambushed. They are aviation personnel whose primary role is to carry out medical evacuations and save lives, not to wage war. The ambush occurred while the group was traveling back to its camp. The area, Croix-des-Bouquets, is controlled by armed groups.

This attack is the first major incident since an international gang suppression force began operating in Haiti last year. The Gang Suppression Force had been searching for the four missing personnel since Wednesday, engaging armed gang elements with helicopter support. There were early indications that several gang members were killed.

International mission background

The four personnel are part of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force supporting Haitian security forces. The multinational force includes over 2,000 troops from several countries.

The UN originally approved up to 5,550 security personnel and more than 50 civilian staff for the mission in 2025. The force received at least a six-month extension through March 2027 from the UN Security Council. In early October, El Salvador passed a law extending its participation for a year and broadening its mandate beyond medical evacuations to allow deployment of civilian and military personnel.

Security environment in Haiti

Gang violence has surged, with armed groups controlling most of the capital and causing widespread displacement and casualties. Armed gangs currently control about 85% of Port-au-Prince. Gang suppression forces in Haiti are estimated to control around 70 percent of the city.

The human cost is staggering. More than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence in Haiti in 2024. From January through mid-September, the violence displaced nearly 1.5 million people and killed or injured over 5,700. More than 230 people have been kidnapped in Haiti in recent years. Key gang leaders like Chèn Méchan, Kraze Barye, and 400 Mawozo control areas of Port-au-Prince and have been sanctioned by the UN and the US.

The political situation remains unstable. Haiti has not held elections since 2016. Two weeks ago, it indefinitely postponed presidential and legislative elections scheduled for 13 December. A meeting was held at the prime minister’s office to assess ongoing operations and coordinate with the Gang Repression Force. President Bukele emphasized the rescue operation's priority. He said the potential consequences for the gangs would be "nothing compared with what would happen if all the hostages - who he said were not combatants - were not returned alive."