By The Haitian Tribune Staff
October 31, 2026
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A convoy of Salvadoran troops and armored vehicles was seen Friday moving through Tabarre, as El Salvador expands its military presence in Haiti amid the search for four Salvadoran personnel missing after a gang attack.
El Salvador deployed about 2,000 troops to Haiti this week, following the disappearance of four members of the U.N.-backed Gang Suppression Force. Haiti’s government says the Salvadorans were abducted. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.
President Nayib Bukele said Thursday that his country’s immediate goal was to bring the missing aviation technicians home. In a message posted on X in Haitian Creole, he said the deployment was not intended to target Haitians or occupy the country. He also rejected the idea that El Salvador sought to control Haiti or its resources.
The Haitian government said the two countries are strengthening cooperation through the U.N.-backed force. However, questions remain about the Salvadoran troops’ specific mission and how their arrival could affect security operations and the risk of further violence.
Videos shared widely on Haitian social media this week showed gang leaders challenging Bukele and threatening to confront the Salvadoran forces. Authorities have not identified those responsible for the attack on the missing personnel.
The convoy seen in Port-au-Prince included newly deployed armored vehicles, with soldiers carrying automatic weapons.
The deployment comes as Haiti continues to face widespread armed violence. United Nations figures cited in the report indicate that more than 5,700 people were killed or injured between January and mid-September.
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