- Published
The headquarters of one of Haiti's largest crime gangs has been destroyed by El Salvador's military, the Salvadoran president has said.
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president → publish → military
The infamous 400 Mawozo gang, which is known for kidnappings and intimidation tactics, was targeted in a ground and air attack at a complex on the outskirts of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.
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which → know → capital
It is El Salvador's first military action on a Haitian target since it deployed more than 2,000 soldiers there last month, as part of a mission to rescue four missing Salvadoran technicians.
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it → deploy → technicians
Haiti has been plagued by gang violence for years, with heavily armed groups controlling large parts of the capital, and beyond.
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groups → plague → capital
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced the news on X, external, boasting that most of the gang members fled without trying to fight.
"We destroyed the house of [gang leader] Lanmò San Jou and the 400 Mawozo gang's headquarters," he wrote on Tuesday.
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he → announce → Tuesday
The post was accompanied by video of several helicopters firing on a large complex, reportedly in the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets, the gang's stronghold.
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helicopters → accompany → Bouquets
As the helicopters circle above, dozens of people can be seen running out of the property, fleeing the strikes.
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dozens → circle → strikes
Several media outlets have reported that as many as 20 people were killed, however that has not been confirmed by authorities.
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that → report → authorities
There has also been no official confirmation of the extent of the damage at the property, with Haitians questioning whether it has been destroyed or just damaged.
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it → question → property
The Miami Herald reports that the gang's leader, Wilson "Lanmò San Jou" Joseph, was not there at the time.
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leader → report → time
The BBC has not been able to verify the video posted by Bukele, nor whether the property is indeed the gang's headquarters.
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property → verify → Bukele
Haiti's National Police drone task force was involved in the attack, supported by Salvadoran soldiers, the Miami Herald reports, citing several sources.
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Herald → involve → sources
Posting on X after the strikes, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé thanked the Salvadoran military's commitment "in the fight against gangs", and said the two nations would keep working together, along with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), to "regain control of the territory and restore state authority".
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nations → post → authority
"THE GANGS WILL GET NO SLEEP!" he added.
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he → get → SLEEP
Some 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers were deployed to Haiti last month after four air force technicians were abducted at gunpoint while food shopping in October.
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food → deploy → October
El Salvador's right-wing president has vowed to bring the men home alive and warned the gang to release them immediately or face sustained pressure from his military.
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president → vow → military
The four abducted men were working as part of the GSF, made up of troops from several nations, initially led by soldiers from Chad.
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men → abduct → Chad
President Bukele's move to send thousands of Salvadoran troops to Haiti has raised concerns, with critics saying they are not all working within the command structure of the GSF.
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they → send → GSF
It has raised questions about the operational legitimacy and legality of their actions in the Caribbean nation.
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It → raise → nation
Amnesty International has urged both countries to "ensure all operations conducted by Salvadoran forces in Haiti comply with international human rights law".
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operations → urge → law
Such concerns do not appear to phase Bukele, however, who continues to directly warn and target the gang leaders.
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who → appear → leaders
The attack on the supposed gang headquarters seemingly came after a user on X had urged Bukele to attack the complex.
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user → suppose → complex
Give us the exact address, and we'll destroy it," he replied to the post, which has now been taken down, apparently for violating X's rules.
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which → give → rules
The 400 Mawozo gang is the largest criminal organisation in Haiti, and known for kidnappings, extortion, murders and arms trafficking.
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gang → know → kidnappings
Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas and remains largely under gang control.
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Haiti → remain → control
At least 5,700 people have been killed or injured there by gangs or during operations against them between 1 January and 11 September this year alone, the United Nations has said.
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Nations → kill → January
El Salvador has recorded huge reductions in gang violence under President Bukele as part of a sweeping crackdown, and he has vowed to do the same in Haiti.
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he → record → Haiti
However, human rights groups have argued that the way he has done it is unlawful, with the open-ended extension of emergency laws, the treatment of detainees in El Salvador's high-security mega-prison and the mass trials of alleged gang members.
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he → argue → members
The Aporia
