SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said Wednesday that he had launched a military operation to rescue four Salvadoran aviation technicians kidnapped by gangs in Haiti, warning of a stronger response if the men are not released alive and unharmed.
The four technicians have been missing since Sunday, when gangs opened fire on an armored vehicle in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, near Port-au-Prince. The vehicle caught fire, forcing the men to flee, according to the report. The attack came just days after an international gang suppression force began operations in the violence-stricken Caribbean nation.
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Addressing Haitian gang leaders in a post on X, Bukele demanded the immediate release of the four men, warning that failure to comply would trigger a more forceful operation.
“Today’s attack is nothing compared to what is coming if they do not release the four hostages alive. And do not take our words as empty threats,” Bukele wrote.
He added that if the technicians were returned “alive, unharmed,” the situation would return to the way it was before the kidnapping.
It remained unclear whether Bukele was referring to further action by Salvadoran forces, Haitian security personnel or the multinational gang suppression force operating in the country.
Bukele, who has drawn international attention for his controversial crackdown on gangs in El Salvador, also shared video showing armored vehicles with shattered windows moving through clouds of smoke.
Haiti’s government said Wednesday evening that securing the release of the abducted technicians was an “absolute priority.” Officials met at the prime minister’s office to assess ongoing security operations and determine additional measures in coordination with the Gang Repression Force.
“The release of the abducted soldiers is an absolute priority, and all necessary resources are being mobilized to achieve this goal,” the government said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear whether Haitian authorities had received confirmation that the four Salvadorans were still alive. A spokesperson for the gang suppression force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bukele said the men were aviation technicians and emphasized that El Salvador’s mission in Haiti consisted exclusively of pilots and technical personnel whose primary responsibility was conducting medical evacuations, not combat operations.
The U.N.-backed multinational force continues to confront armed gangs in the area where Sunday’s attack occurred. Authorities have warned residents to remain indoors as security operations continue.
No group had claimed responsibility for the attack at the time of the report. The incident highlights the continuing influence of armed gangs in Haiti as the country prepares for its first general election in more than a decade. Gangs are estimated to control around 70% of Port-au-Prince.
El Salvador is among several countries contributing personnel to the international gang suppression mission, alongside countries including Chad, Jamaica and Guatemala. More than 2,000 personnel are reportedly deployed in Haiti.
In 2025, the United Nations approved an initial deployment framework allowing up to 5,550 security personnel and more than 50 civilian staff to support efforts to dismantle armed gangs.
Earlier in October, El Salvador passed legislation extending its armed forces’ participation in the mission for another year. The law also authorized the deployment of civilian and military personnel according to operational requirements, expanding the mission’s scope beyond the medical evacuation role outlined in the previous decree.
The U.N. Security Council extended the multinational force’s mandate by at least six months, through March 2027.
Gang violence has displaced nearly 1.5 million people in Haiti in recent years. According to the United Nations, more than 5,700 people were killed or injured between January and mid-September, while more than 230 people were kidnapped during the period.
The area where the armored vehicle was attacked is reportedly controlled by several gangs, including Chèn Méchan, Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent, and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou. Both Innocent and Sanjou have been sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States.
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