Gangs Ambush Salvadoran Troops in Haiti, Four Soldiers Missing in Largest Attack on New Force

Gangs in Haiti have ambushed an armored vehicle carrying Salvadoran soldiers, leaving four military personnel unaccounted for in the most significant attack since a new international gang suppression force began operations.

The assault occurred on Sunday in Croix-des-Bouquets, a community east of Port-au-Prince that is now controlled by armed gangs.

The Armed Forces of El Salvador confirmed on Monday that four aviation technicians were returning to camp when their vehicle was struck by explosives and set ablaze. The soldiers managed to escape the burning vehicle, but contact has not been established since.

“Multiple attempts to approach by land and air have been made, but these have been hampered by the intensity of the fighting,” the Salvadoran military said in a statement.

Salvadoran authorities dispatched helicopters to support the search, but the aircraft also came under gunfire as they attempted to disperse armed men in the area.

The Gang Suppression Force said it was assessing the situation and advised residents in the affected zone to remain indoors.

The area where the attack took place is controlled by gangs including Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent, and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou.

Both leaders have been sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States. No group has claimed responsibility for the assault.

Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said the attack signals that gangs remain capable of striking back despite pressure from the new force. “If these soldiers are indeed being held, the groups gain edge to negotiate and to pressure the security forces,” he said.

The attack comes as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in more than a decade and underscores the power of armed groups that control an estimated 70 percent of the capital.

The U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet Monday on Haiti, with the assault expected to dominate discussions.

The Gang Suppression Force was authorized by the U.N. Security Council in September 2025 with a mandated strength of 5,550 personnel, replacing a Kenya-led multinational mission that struggled with funding and resources.

The force currently has more than 1,500 troops on the ground, including soldiers from Chad, Jamaica, and Guatemala.

According to U.N. figures, gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti in recent years. More than 5,700 people have been killed or injured from January to mid-September, and more than 230 have been kidnapped.