Haiti Search: Charred Vehicle Found Without Missing Salvadorans
Police in Port-au-Prince located the burnt car used by four technicians attacked in October, but the men remain unaccounted for.
By Aiko Soto ·
Haitian police recovered the burned wreckage of a vehicle in the Croix-des-Bouquets district on Tuesday, marking a new development in the search for four Salvadoran aviation technicians. The men were traveling in that specific car when they were attacked on Oct. 18 in gang-held territory. Despite locating the charred remains, officials have not yet found any trace of the four missing technicians.
The discovery followed a joint operation that began early Monday. The task force included local police, the United Nations-backed Multidimensional Security Support Mission, and Salvadoran soldiers. Authorities released photographs of the destroyed vehicle and confirmed that the team encountered no resistance during the search of the Santo neighborhood.
The Oct. 18 attack triggered a rapid military response from El Salvador. President Nayib Bukele deployed more than 2,000 troops to the island. This large presence has intensified debates about the chain of command. While the U.N. stated that the Salvadoran force operates outside its specific framework and must obey international law, Haiti's Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé insisted that all foreign forces answer to Haitian leadership. Bukele has not yet formally confirmed that arrangement for his own soldiers.
Fils-Aimé addressed the public for the first time since the attack late Tuesday. He clarified that foreign troops are assisting the state rather than replacing it. His comments came just hours before Bukele posted a series of messages on X.
In his online statement, Bukele referenced Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a historic Haitian leader. The Salvadoran president suggested that those who betrayed the nation's independence still hold power. He identified them as gang members, financiers, and weapon suppliers. Bukele pledged to help defeat these groups while asserting that his country is not an enemy.
Meanwhile, gang leader Wilson Joseph, known as Lanmò Sanjou, requested a dialogue with the United Nations. Joseph leads the 400 Mawozo gang and wrote to the U.N. secretary-general on Monday. He asked for a delegation to visit Haiti to discuss terms. Joseph expressed concern over the rising number of civilian deaths as combat operations expand across Port-au-Prince.
The search for the four technicians continues. The charred vehicle provides a physical point of reference for investigators. The joint forces remain active in the area as they work to close the gap between the location of the car and the whereabouts of the missing men.
