El Salvador military destroys Haitian gang headquarters, President Bukele says
The attack on the 400 Mawozo gang complex follows the deployment of 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers to Haiti last month.
El Salvador's military destroyed the headquarters of the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti during a ground and air attack, according to BBC News. President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday that the strike targeted a complex on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, reportedly in the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets.
The 400 Mawozo gang is known for kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking. President Bukele stated on X that most gang members fled without resistance and claimed the house of gang leader Wilson "Lanmò San Jou" Joseph was also destroyed.
The Miami Herald reported that the gang leader was not at the property during the strike. While some media outlets reported that up to 20 people were killed, authorities have not confirmed this figure or the total extent of the damage.
The operation involved the Haiti National Police drone task force and Salvadoran soldiers, according to the Miami Herald. This marks the first military action by El Salvador on a Haitian target since the president deployed more than 2,000 soldiers to the country last month.
The Salvadoran troops were sent to rescue four air force technicians who were abducted at gunpoint in October. Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked the Salvadoran military and said both nations would continue working with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to restore state authority.
Amnesty International has called on both nations to make sure that all Salvadoran military activities in Haiti follow international human rights laws. Critics have also raised questions regarding the legality and command structure of the Salvadoran deployment.