Search under way for four soldiers missing after gang attack in Haiti

The Salvadoran ambassador to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned the ambush of four aviation technicians from her country by armed gangs in Haiti.

“During the attack, the criminal groups used firearms and explosive devices, setting the vehicle on fire,” Egriselda Lopez told a UNSC meeting on Haiti on Monday.

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International forces in the violence-torn Caribbean nation are trying to find the four Salvadorans who went missing after gangs attacked their armoured vehicle on Sunday.

The soldiers from the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) managed to flee the burning vehicle in Croix-des-Bouquets, a commune north of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

It is the first major attack on the international force since it began operations earlier this year.

Security and elections

The ambush underscored growing risks as gangs retaliate against security operations, according to Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the special representative for the UN Secretary-General for Haiti.

Gangs have fought to increase their influence in the country, particularly since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021 left a leadership vacuum in the government.

An estimated 70 percent of Port-au-Prince is currently under gang control, as are many thoroughfares in the country.

Massieu told the UNSC meeting that, between July and September, more than a thousand people were killed and over 100 abducted as a result of the gang violence.

In a bid to restore stability, Haiti has sought to hold its first round of national elections in nearly a decade.

But elections have been repeatedly delayed, amid concerns about violence. Earlier this month, the country announced it was postponing the vote indefinitely, after setting a date earlier this year for December 13.

“The repeated announcement of electoral dates without a true assessment of their credibility, of their feasibility, only serves to weaken credibility with Haitian institutions,” Massieu told the session.

He warned that security gains alone cannot deliver lasting peace.

GSF officially began operations on June 1, but has so far operated only in a limited capacity.

Jack Christofides, the GSF special representative in Haiti, said it has deployed over 2,000 personnel from six countries, but the force remains well below its authorised strength and needs equipment, logistics and funding to expand operations.

After Sunday’s attack, the GSF said it is assessing the situation and has advised residents to stay indoors.

The area where the armoured vehicle was struck is controlled by gangs, including Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou. Both gang leaders have been sanctioned by the UN and US.

“Armed gangs have overrun large parts of Port-au-Prince, the capital, employing tactics including murder, kidnapping and sexual violence amid widespread impunity,” said a UN Security Council report last month.