Salvadoran Troops Support Operation Against Haitian Gang as 20 People Are Reported Killed

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A security operation involving Haitian police and Salvadoran military personnel has reportedly killed 20 people during an offensive targeting one of Haiti's most powerful criminal organisations.

The operation, conducted on Sunday in Croix-des-Bouquets near the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, targeted the 400 Mawozo gang and its alleged headquarters.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced the operation on Tuesday through a post on X, claiming that forces had destroyed a property belonging to gang leader Wilson Joseph, popularly known as Lanmò San Jou.

Bukele also released footage showing helicopters operating over the targeted location.

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The operation comes amid an expanding Salvadoran military presence in Haiti, where criminal gangs have maintained control over substantial areas and contributed to the country's prolonged security crisis.

According to reporting by Al Jazeera, AFP, AP and Reuters, approximately 20 people were killed in the operation.

However, the gang leader's death has not been established. The destruction of the property should not be confused with the elimination of the organisation or its leadership.

The deployment has attracted international scrutiny, particularly over the legal authority governing Salvadoran troops operating on Haitian territory and the rules regulating their use of force.

Amnesty International has called on both governments to disclose the agreement governing the deployment and establish independent investigations into allegations of human rights violations.

The intervention also follows the disappearance of four Salvadoran personnel in an October 18 ambush, an incident that initially prompted additional military deployments.

Haiti continues to face severe institutional instability, widespread gang violence and uncertainty surrounding its political future.

The country is expected to hold elections in 2027, its first in more than a decade.

The latest operation illustrates the growing international dimension of Haiti's security crisis and raises difficult questions about whether foreign military involvement can restore stability without creating additional human rights concerns.