Four Salvadoran soldiers missing after gang bomb attack on UN force vehicle in Haiti
Four Salvadoran soldiers serving with the UN-supported Gang Suppression Force went missing after their armored vehicle was hit by a bomb in Croix-des-Bouquets, north of Port-au-Prince. The soldiers fled the burning vehicle but have not been located. Ground searches have been hampered by intense combat and helicopters dispatched from El Salvador to find them were met with gunfire. The attack is the first major assault on the GSF since it began operations in June. The incident occurred in an area controlled by the Kraze Barye and 400 Mawozo gangs, which are sanctioned by the UN and the United States.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning outlets covered this 89m later
Why it matters
The disappearance highlights the escalating danger faced by UN peacekeepers and international forces amid Haiti's gang-driven violence ahead of critical elections.
How this story developed
- Oct 19 Four Salvadoran air force personnel go missing after gang ambush in Haiti
- Oct 25 Helicopters sent from El Salvador were met with gunfire, further complicating the search for the missing soldiers.
