Bodies of ambushed Salvadoran soldiers found in Haiti, New York Times reports

Four Salvadoran soldiers, who went missing after an ambush by armed gangs in Haiti, have been found dead outside the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to a report by the New York Times on Saturday. The bodies were discovered on Saturday and were severely charred, necessitating autopsies to establish their identities. The remains were handed over at the international airport to a Salvadoran military team that had arrived in Haiti on Friday.

The international security mission, which declined to comment, has about 2,000 troops deployed in the country, far below its authorized limit of 5,500. The ambush marked the first significant attack on the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a United Nations-authorized multinational mission established in Haiti this year. The GSF, comprising Salvadoran soldiers, was tasked with bringing the four missing men back unharmed.

Local media have suggested a connection to gangs operating in the region, such as Chen Mechan and 400 Mawozo. The mission faces challenges, including a shortage of funds, equipment, and personnel, as Haiti's gangs have gained control over extensive areas of the capital since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, leading to the displacement of 1.4 million to 1.5 million people.