After ambush, search operations ongoing in Haiti for soldiers with gang-fighting force

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Oct 19, 2026

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Four soldiers with the Armed Forces of El Salvador remain unaccounted for in Haiti’s capital on Monday after suspected gang members ambushed their armored vehicle and set it ablaze, prompting a rescue operation in which Salvadoran military helicopters also came under fire, according to a statement issued Sunday by El Salvador’s armed forces.

The soldiers are aviation technicians assigned to Liberty Task Force II with the Armed Forces of El Salvador who have been deployed to Haiti as part of the United Nations-authorized Gang Suppression Force, the armed forces said in a statement.

“During the attack, the criminal groups used firearms and explosive devices, triggering intense armed clashes,” the Armed Forces of El Salvador said. “The armored vehicle was struck by explosives and caught fire. However, all four military personnel managed to escape from the vehicle. Upon learning of the incident, helicopters from our Armed Forces were deployed to provide support, forcing the criminal groups to retreat.”

On Monday, the soldiers remained unaccounted for. “Multiple attempts have been made to reach the area by land and air, but these efforts have been hampered by the intensity of the fighting and security conditions in the area,” the statement said. “Our Liberty Task Force II continues working jointly with the command of the Gang Suppression Force and international forces to establish contact with and determine the whereabouts of our military personnel.”

The soldiers were reportedly out shopping at a market in the area and were returning to their camp when the ambush occurred at about 1:30 p.m. in front of an orphanage for disabled children in the Santo, Croix-des-Bouquets area, just east of Port-au-Prince. The area is under the control of two heavily armed criminal groups, 400 Mawozo and Chen Mechan.

A person inside the orphanage described the scene to the Miami Herald as “a war,” with shooting and helicopters heard flying all night. They spent the night huddled in one room, she said. “The kids are scared.”

In a statement, confirming the incident, the GSF said its military personnel returned fire and helicopters were deployed to search for the soldiers. Residents in Santo and the surrounding area were advised to remain indoors until further notice.

The incident is the first major attack involving the force, which has more than 1,500 troops on the ground with 4,000 more slated to come in coming months. The troops are being fielded by Chad, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mongolia and Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankans are stationed in Haiti’s Artibonite region, just north of Port-au-Prince, while the other troops are assigned to metropolitan Port-au-Prince.

The Salvadorians operate a helicopter unit as part of the GSF, which was first authorized in September 2025 to help Haiti take on armed gangs now controlling large swaths of the capital and expanding to other regions of the country. Along with Guatemala and Jamaica, El Salvador participated in the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission, which ended its deployment earlier this year. Last month, the U.N. approved a resolution drafted by the United States and Panama, authorizing the GSF for another six months.