Gang ambush leaves four Salvadoran soldiers missing in Haiti

Armed gang members ambushed Salvadoran Air Force personnel deployed with Haiti's Gang Suppression Force in Port-au-Prince, using gunfire and explosives in the attack, according to Reuters. Four Salvadoran service members remain unaccounted for after they were forced to escape their armored vehicle, which caught fire during the assault.

The ambush highlights the dangers facing international forces deployed to combat gang violence in Haiti, where armed groups have exerted significant control over large parts of the capital and surrounding areas. El Salvador has contributed personnel to international efforts aimed at suppressing gang activity in the Caribbean nation amid its prolonged security crisis.

Search efforts for the missing service members were reportedly ongoing following the attack. The incident underscores the volatile security situation in Port-au-Prince, where foreign security deployments have faced repeated challenges from entrenched gang networks controlling significant territory within the capital.