OMM Newsroom
El Salvador’s military has destroyed the headquarters of one of Haiti’s largest criminal gangs, President Nayib Bukele said, according to BBC World.
The 400 Mawozo gang, known for kidnappings and intimidation, was targeted in a ground and air attack on a complex on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
It was El Salvador’s first military action against a target in Haiti since more than 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers were deployed there last month as part of a mission to rescue four missing Salvadoran technicians.
Bukele announced the attack on “X” on Tuesday, saying that most gang members fled without attempting to fight. “We destroyed the house of [gang leader] Lanmò San Jou and the 400 Mawozo gang’s headquarters,” he wrote.
Video accompanying the post showed helicopters firing on a large complex reportedly in Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb and stronghold of the gang. Dozens of people could be seen running from the property as the helicopters circled overhead.
Several media outlets have reported that up to 20 people were killed, but authorities have not confirmed those reports. There has also been no official confirmation of the extent of damage, and Haitians have questioned whether the property was destroyed or only damaged.
The Miami Herald reported that gang leader Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph was not at the site during the attack. The BBC said it could not verify the video posted by Bukele or confirm that the property was the gang’s headquarters.
Haitian police drone unit reportedly took part
Haiti’s National Police drone task force took part in the operation, supported by Salvadoran soldiers, the Miami Herald reported, citing several sources.
After the strikes, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked El Salvador’s military for its commitment “in the fight against gangs”. He said the two countries would continue working together, alongside the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), to “regain control of the territory and restore state authority”.
“THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!” he added.
About 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers were sent to Haiti last month after four air force technicians were abducted at gunpoint while shopping for food in October. Bukele has vowed to bring them home alive and warned the gang to release them or face sustained pressure from his military.
The four abducted technicians were working with the GSF, a force made up of troops from several countries that was initially led by soldiers from Chad.
Deployment has raised questions over command and legality
Bukele’s decision to send thousands of troops to Haiti has prompted concern from critics, who say not all the soldiers are operating within the GSF’s command structure. The deployment has raised questions about the operational legitimacy and legality of their actions in the Caribbean country.
Amnesty International has urged both countries to ensure that operations by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law.
The attack on the suspected gang headquarters appeared to follow a post on “X” urging Bukele to strike the complex. “Where is that house? Give us the exact address, and we’ll destroy it,” he replied. The post was later taken down, apparently for violating “X” rules.
The 400 Mawozo gang is described as Haiti’s largest criminal organisation and is known for kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking. Haiti has faced gang violence for years, with heavily armed groups controlling large areas of the capital and beyond. It is the poorest country in the Americas and remains largely under gang control.
The United Nations has said that at least 5,700 people were killed or injured by gangs or during operations against them in Haiti between 1 January and 11 September this year.
El Salvador has seen major reductions in gang violence under Bukele as part of a sweeping crackdown, and he has vowed to pursue the same approach in Haiti. Human rights groups have criticised the methods, citing the open-ended extension of emergency laws, the treatment of detainees in El Salvador’s high-security mega-prison and mass trials of alleged gang members.
