Haitian gang headquarters destroyed, El Salvador president says

The headquarters of the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti was demolished in a strike that involved Haiti's National Police drone task force together with Salvadoran soldiers, according to reports cited by the Miami Herald and President Nayib Bukele.

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé posted on X to thank the Salvadoran military for its commitment "in the fight against gangs" and said the two nations would continue cooperating with the UN‑backed Gang Suppression Force to "regain control of the territory and restore state authority". He added the slogan "THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!".

Around 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers were deployed to Haiti last month after four air‑force technicians were seized at gunpoint while buying food in October. President Bukele promised to bring the men home alive and warned the gang to release them immediately or face continued pressure from his forces.

The four abducted technicians were part of the GSF, a multinational force originally led by Chadian troops. Critics have questioned whether all Salvadoran troops are operating under the GSF command, raising doubts about the legality of their actions, and Amnesty International urged both countries to "ensure all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law".

Bukele has repeatedly warned gang leaders directly. The attack on the alleged headquarters followed a post on X in which a user urged Bukele to destroy the complex, asking "Where is that house? Give us the exact address, and we'll destroy it," a message later removed for breaching X's rules.

The 400 Mawozo gang, Haiti's largest criminal organisation, is linked to kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking. Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, remains largely under gang control, with the United Nations reporting at least 5,700 people killed or injured by gangs or anti‑gang operations between 1 January and 11 September this year.

Bukele, whose crackdown in El Salvador has dramatically lowered gang violence, has pledged to achieve similar results in Haiti, though human‑rights groups argue his methods are unlawful, citing the extension of emergency laws, conditions in the high‑security mega‑prison and mass trials of alleged gang members.