El Salvador military destroys Haitian gang headquarters in air and ground strike

El Salvador's military launched rockets and conducted an air and ground attack on a compound linked to the leader of Haiti's 400 Mawozo gang, according to Al Jazeera English and BBC World. The strike targeted the gang's headquarters on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.

The 400 Mawozo gang is known for kidnappings and intimidation tactics and controls parts of Haiti's capital, contributing to ongoing gang violence in the country. El Salvador deployed thousands of troops to Haiti recently to assist in combating gangs and rescuing missing Salvadoran technicians.

El Salvador's president announced the operation on social media, stating that the gang's headquarters and the home of its leader, known as Lanmò San Jou, were destroyed. Video footage showed helicopters firing on the complex while many people fled the area.

Reports from several media outlets suggest that up to 20 people may have been killed in the strike, though authorities have not confirmed the casualty figures. This marks El Salvador's first military action on Haitian soil since deploying troops to aid the Haitian government against gang violence.

The military presence in Haiti includes thousands of Salvadoran troops working alongside the Haitian government to address the gang crisis. The gang leader had reportedly requested the United Nations to initiate talks days before the strike, according to Al Jazeera English.