El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has stated that the deceased individuals found in Haiti are not the remains of the four El Salvadoran soldiers who went missing while serving in an international anti-gang contingent on the island.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele responded to a New York Times article through a message on X, addressing claims that four bodies discovered in Puerto Príncipe may be linked to Salvadoran members of the Pandillas Suppression Force, a multinational United Nations mission operating in the country.
The president of the country announced on social media platform X that a non-governmental organization had transported human remains to the airport, confirming that they belonged to four aerospace technicians.
The remains found consist of a child, an adult male significantly taller than the aircraft, and an individual wearing a uniform from a foreign military. Additionally, identification cards and military attire from other countries were discovered among the remains.
The international force acknowledged receipt of the bodies through its official social media channel, but stated it cannot verify that the remains match the missing personnel.
The official statement from the force did not release information on the casualties, nor did it explicitly deny the involvement of Salvadoran soldiers.
The Gang Suppression Force has reaffirmed its commitment to its mission and will provide further updates through its official channels once reliable information becomes available.
The Salvadoran government has deemed the disappearance of its citizens at the hands of Haitian gangs to be a kidnapping, prompting President Bukele to deploy a military unit to Haiti in a search and rescue operation.
The president has clarified that the missing troops are not part of a combat unit, but rather aviation specialists who are integral to the ongoing mission in Haiti.
The organization's primary objective is focused on medical evacuation and lifesaving operations, carried out by pilots and technical personnel, rather than engaging in military activities.
The individuals were taken by force as they returned to their location after purchasing food at a nearby market.
Two New York Times journalists reported on Saturday that, according to multiple sources, calcinated remains discovered outside Puerto Príncipe on the same day may be linked to the Salvadoran military.
According to a source from the humanitarian group Hero Client Rescue, the remains were discovered six days after the men were abducted while driving through a gang-controlled area. The group, which was contracted to recover the bodies, provided this information.
A note accompanying the remains suggested that they could potentially be linked to the missing Salvadoran soldiers, however, conclusive evidence was lacking due to the deteriorated state of the remains.
President Bukele posted a message on X at night, stating that the rescue aviation technicians were not involved. The post was accompanied by images of an identification card belonging to a member of the Gang Suppression Force, which was identified as being from Chad, a country located in central Africa.
The president stated that the documents were discovered during the examination of remains to verify the individuals' nationality, specifically their connection to El Salvador.
The multinational armed force has encountered its first major challenge since deploying to Haiti in April, following the disappearance of Salvadoran personnel.
The government of El Salvador has dispatched a contingent of military personnel to Haiti for search and rescue operations. The deployment, consisting of 100 special forces soldiers, is part of a broader effort to assist in the affected region.
It is alleged that the men were taken captive by the Chen Mechan band, with the assistance of the 400 Mawozo group, who marked their armored vehicle while the captors were on a shopping trip for food.
A statement from the El Salvador Armed Forces reported that a group was ambushed upon their return to a camp in an armored vehicle last Sunday. Although the vehicle was struck by explosives and subsequently engulfed in flames, the individuals managed to evacuate before losing communication.
International forces participating in operations against gangs in Haiti have sought to deliver humanitarian assistance, although the deployment of Salvadoran helicopters has been met with limited effectiveness.
Efforts to reach the area by both land and air have been repeatedly thwarted due to the ongoing intense confrontations and the challenging security environment in the region.
At this time, no group or entity has publicly claimed responsibility for the assault.
