Search under way for four soldiers missing after gang attack in Haiti

The soldiers from the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) managed to flee the burning vehicle in Croix-des-Bouquets north of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

It is the first major attack on the international force since it began operations earlier this year.

On Monday, the Armed Forces of El Salvador said the soldiers – four aviation technicians – were returning to camp when they came under attack. Helicopters were sent to “establish contact and determine the location of our military personnel”, but they were also fired at as they dispersed personnel.

“Multiple attempts to approach by land and air have been made, but the intensity of the fighting has hampered these,” said the Salvadoran statement.

The GSF said that it is assessing the situation and has advised residents to remain indoors.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet later on Monday about Haiti, and the attack is expected to dominate the conversation.

The GSF officially began operations on 1 June but has so far operated only in a limited capacity. A UN statement said it is expected to reach full operational capacity between now and the end of the year.

It currently has more than 1,500 troops on the ground in Haiti, including soldiers from Chad, Jamaica and Guatemala.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. It comes as Haiti prepares for its first general election in more than a decade and illustrates the power of armed gangs that control an estimated 70 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The area where the armoured vehicle was struck is controlled by gangs, including Kraze Barye, led by Vitelhomme Innocent, and 400 Mawozo, led by Lanmo Sanjou. Both gang leaders have been sanctioned by the UN and US.

“Armed gangs have overrun large parts of Port-au-Prince, the capital, employing tactics including murder, kidnapping, and sexual violence amid widespread impunity,” said a UN Security Council report last month.

Since the assassination of President Jovenel President Jovenel President Jovenel President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, Haiti has been in a multidimensional crisis characterised by extreme violence, political deadlock and dire humanitarian conditions.

Gang violence displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti in recent years. The UN says at least 5,700 people have been killed or injured from January to mid-September this year and 230 have been kidnapped.