Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé has praised the dedication of Salvadorean forces following a joint military strike on a property allegedly used by the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang. The operation follows earlier announcements by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele regarding the destruction of what was described as the gang’s headquarters.
Joint Military Operations and Strikes
A small group of Salvadorean troops has been stationed in Haiti since January 2025 as part of an international multinational force aimed at suppressing widespread gang violence. Last month, President Bukele deployed an additional 2,000 soldiers to the Caribbean nation to rescue four Salvadorean personnel who went missing following an ambush on 18 October.
President Bukele shared footage on social media showing multiple helicopters firing projectiles at a large compound while numerous individuals fled the property. Writing in Creole on X, Bukele stated that authorities kept their promise and claimed the suspected gang members fled without offering resistance. Regional media outlets reported that up to 20 people may have died during the early Sunday morning raid, though gang leader Lanmò San Jou, legally named Wilson Joseph, was reportedly absent from the location.
Prime Minister Fils-Aimé posted a message on X expressing gratitude for the Salvadorean military’s involvement. He stated that Haiti and El Salvador will continue collaborating alongside the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to re-establish state authority and territory control, concluding with the statement that gangs will receive no rest. While omitting specific operation details or casualty numbers, the prime minister shared a video still depicting a helicopter firing at the compound.
International Concerns and Context
BBC News was unable to independently verify the footage shared by Bukele or confirm if the targeted property served as the actual headquarters for 400 Mawozo, recognized as Haiti’s largest criminal organization known for ransom kidnappings. The raid appeared to follow a social media interaction where a user asked the Salvadorean president to target the complex, prompting Bukele to request the exact location.
President Bukele previously issued warnings to Haitian gangs after four Salvadorean air force technicians working with the GSF were taken hostage on 18 October, asserting that El Salvador successfully dismantled its own domestic gangs and could repeat the outcome in Haiti. However, the deployment of thousands of extra Salvadorean troops has prompted unease among critics questioning whether all forces operate under the official GSF command structure. Amnesty International has called upon both governments to guarantee that all military actions executed by Salvadorean personnel in Haiti adhere strictly to international human rights legislation.
