The headquarters of one of Haiti's most notorious crime gangs, the 400 Mawozo, has been targeted by El Salvador's military, according to President Nayib Bukele. The infamous gang, known for kidnappings and intimidation tactics, was targeted in a joint ground and air attack on a complex located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city. This marks El Salvador's first military action against a Haitian target since it deployed over 2,000 soldiers there last month as part of a mission to rescue four missing Salvadoran technicians. The attack took place on Tuesday, with President Bukele boasting that most of the gang members fled without attempting to fight. Reports suggest several helicopters were involved in the operation, with dozens of people seen fleeing the property during the strikes. However, it remains unconfirmed whether as many as 20 people were killed and the extent of the damage at the property. The Haitian National Police drone task force and Salvadoran soldiers reportedly supported the attack, according to the Miami Herald. Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked the Salvadoran military's commitment in the fight against gangs and expressed a continued collaboration between the two nations and the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to regain control of the territory and restore state authority.
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The 400 Mawozo gang, Haiti's largest criminal organization, is notorious for kidnappings, extortion, murders, and arms trafficking. The attack on their headquarters follows President Bukele's vow to target gang leaders, which seems to have escalated after a user urged him to attack the complex on social media. The United Nations has reported that at least 5,700 people have been killed or injured in Haiti by gangs or during operations against them between January and September this year alone. Human rights groups have expressed concerns over President Bukele's methods, including the open-ended extension of emergency laws, treatment of detainees in high-security mega-prisons, and mass trials of alleged gang members in El Salvador.
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It is important to note that the information provided here is based on reports from various sources. The BBC has not been able to verify the video posted by Bukele, nor whether the property is indeed the gang's headquarters. Similarly, the number of casualties and the extent of damage at the property remain unconfirmed by authorities. Amnesty International has urged both countries to ensure all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law. The deployment of El Salvadoran troops to Haiti has raised questions about their operational legitimacy and legality in the Caribbean nation.