Haiti: four Salvadoran soldiers missing after gang ambush on UN-backed force in Port-au-Prince
Explosives set their armoured vehicle on fire in the Santo area, and helicopters sent to help came under fire. It is the biggest attack on the Gang Suppression Force since it began operations.
At a glance
- Four members of El Salvador's air force serving with Haiti's UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) are missing after a gang ambush in Port-au-Prince.
- Explosives hit their armoured vehicle as they drove back to camp in the Santo area; the troops escaped the burning vehicle, but contact was then lost.
- Salvadoran helicopters sent to help came under fire, and rescue attempts by land and air have been blocked by fighting.
- About 1,500 GSF troops were in Haiti in September, with 4,000 more expected in the coming months.
Four soldiers from El Salvador serving with Haiti's international anti-gang force are missing after a gang ambush in the capital, Port-au-Prince. It is the most serious attack on the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) since it began operations.
What happened
| Who | Members of El Salvador's air force serving with the GSF |
| Where | Santo area of Port-au-Prince |
| What | Explosives hit their armoured vehicle as they returned to camp; it caught fire |
| Missing | Four air force members |
| Rescue | Attempts by land and air blocked by fighting; helicopters sent to help came under fire |
El Salvador's armed forces said late on Sunday that the unit was attacked by "heavily armed criminal groups". The troops got out of the burning vehicle, but contact with them was then lost. "There have been multiple attempts to reach the area by land and air, but these have been hampered" by the fighting and security conditions, the military said.
The GSF confirmed that a vehicle carrying its personnel was attacked in the Santo area but did not say how many people were on board. Other countries taking part in the mission tried to help.
The Gang Suppression Force
The GSF was approved with UN backing to support Haiti's overstretched police after the earlier Kenyan-led security mission struggled to push back the gangs.
- About 1,500 GSF troops were in Haiti by September 2026.
- Around 4,000 more are expected in the coming months.
- El Salvador sent forces to Haiti last year as part of the international effort.
Background: a country run by gangs
Armed gangs control most of Port-au-Prince and key roads around it. Their violence has killed thousands of people in recent years and forced more than a million Haitians from their homes. Many hospitals, schools and businesses have closed, and large parts of the population face severe hunger.
Why it matters
The ambush shows the gangs are willing — and able — to take on foreign troops with explosives and heavy weapons. How the force responds, and whether the missing soldiers are found safe, will test both its strength and the commitment of the countries that have sent troops. El Salvador, whose President Nayib Bukele is known for his tough crackdown on gangs at home, is one of the force's most visible contributors.
What happens next
Search and rescue operations are continuing. The GSF and El Salvador are expected to give updates on the missing soldiers, and the attack may lead to stronger operations in the Santo area.
Questions people are asking
What is the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti?
A UN-backed international force set up to help Haiti's police fight the armed gangs that control most of Port-au-Prince. About 1,500 troops were deployed by September 2026, with thousands more expected.
What happened to the Salvadoran soldiers in Haiti?
Their armoured vehicle was hit by explosives and caught fire in an ambush in the Santo area of Port-au-Prince. They escaped the vehicle, but contact was lost and four air force members are missing.
Why are El Salvador's troops in Haiti?
El Salvador sent security forces to Haiti last year as part of the international effort against the gangs, which have killed thousands of people and forced more than a million from their homes.
