El Salvador deploys troops to Haiti after soldiers go missing

El Salvador has sent up to 2,000 troops to Haiti to search for four missing soldiers. The soldiers were part of a UN-backed force fighting gang violence in Haiti. On October 18, 2026, their armoured vehicle was attacked by gang members in Croix-des-Bouquets, a gang-controlled area near the capital. The four men have not been found. By October 24, around 450 Salvadoran soldiers had already arrived in Port-au-Prince. President Nayib Bukele told Haiti's Prime Minister about the deployment earlier that week. Several countries and international organisations are supporting the operation. No gang has said it was responsible for the attack. The soldiers are believed to be held by Haitian gangs.