El Salvador strikes Haitian gang compound; Bukele says 400 Mawozo headquarters destroyed

El Salvador's military has carried out a strike on a compound on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The compound is linked to the 400 Mawozo gang or its leader.

President Nayib Bukele announced the strike in a post on X on Tuesday. "We destroyed the house of [gang leader] Lanmò San Jou and the 400 Mawozo gang's headquarters," he wrote, according to the BBC.

More than 2,000 Salvadoran troops are deployed in Haiti. Al Jazeera puts the figure at 2,500.

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé posted on X after the strikes. He thanked the Salvadoran military and said the two countries would keep working with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF).

The BBC describes a ground and air operation. Al Jazeera says Salvadoran forces fired rockets at the compound. The BBC calls it El Salvador's first military action on a Haitian target since its troops deployed last month.

A video posted with Bukele's message shows several helicopters firing on a large complex. Dozens of people are seen running out. The BBC says it could not verify the video. The complex is reportedly in Croix-des-Bouquets, which the BBC describes as the gang's stronghold.

According to the BBC, several media outlets have reported that as many as 20 people were killed. Authorities have not confirmed this figure. The Miami Herald, as cited by the BBC, reported that gang leader Wilson "Lanmò San Jou" Joseph was not at the site. Citing several sources, the Herald also reported that Haiti's National Police drone task force was involved, supported by Salvadoran soldiers.

Salvadoran troops were deployed after four Salvadoran air force technicians working with the GSF were abducted at gunpoint in October while shopping for food. According to the BBC, the deployment is part of a mission to rescue them. The BBC describes the four technicians as still missing.

According to the BBC, the attack appeared to follow an X user's post urging Bukele to attack the complex. The BBC quoted Bukele's reply: "Where is that house? Give us the exact address, and we'll destroy it." That post has since been removed, apparently for violating X's rules.

Al Jazeera reports that the gang's leader had asked the UN to begin talks days before the strike. Its report does not describe the source of this information.

What is disputed

Bukele says the site was destroyed. According to the BBC, there is no official confirmation of the extent of the damage. Haitians are questioning whether the property was destroyed or only damaged. The BBC says it could not verify that the site was the gang's headquarters. Al Jazeera describes the compound as "allegedly" belonging to the gang's leader.

What each side says

• Bukele says most gang members fled without trying to fight. According to the BBC, he has vowed to bring the technicians home alive. He has warned the gang to release them immediately or face sustained military pressure.
• Fils-Aimé thanked Salvadoran troops for their commitment "in the fight against gangs" and wrote: "THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!"
• Critics cited by the BBC say not all Salvadoran troops work within the GSF command structure. They say this raises questions about the legitimacy and legality of their actions.
• Amnesty International urged both governments to "ensure all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law".

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any response from the 400 Mawozo gang.

Analysis

The strike marks a more direct Salvadoran role in Haiti's conflict with gangs. It also raises open questions. The command relationship between Salvadoran troops, Haitian police and the GSF has not been officially set out in the reports reviewed by Vocemundi. Neither the casualty figures nor the damage has been independently confirmed. Depending on how these questions are answered, the operation could strengthen cooperation among the forces involved. It could also add to scrutiny from human rights groups and critics of the mission's legal basis. The fate of the four abducted technicians, and any possible talks with the gang, may shape what happens next.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.