Overview:
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced on social media Thursday evening, Nov. 12, that Haitian and Salvadoran security forces had regained control of Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince. Bukele said human remains were discovered inside the facility and announced plans to establish an operational base there to expand security operations into gang-controlled neighborhoods. The development comes amid an expanding Salvadoran military presence in Haiti following the disappearance of four Salvadoran aviation technicians during a gang attack in October.
Haitian and Salvadoran security forces have regained control of Sylvio Cator Stadium, the country’s main soccer stadium, following a joint operation targeting armed gangs in the capital, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced on social media Thursday evening, Nov. 12.
Bukele said the operation involved the Haitian National Police (PNH), the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), a government security task force and Salvadoran special forces. The mission was carried out under a bilateral agreement between the two governments.
The Salvadoran president also reported that security forces discovered human remains inside the stadium.
The Haitian Times could not independently verify the discovery of human remains or the full extent of the territory secured during the operation at the time of this writing.
Bukele announced that the forces plan to establish a military operations base there to support further offensives into gang-controlled areas.
The announcement marks a potentially significant development in efforts to reclaim territory from armed gangs that have controlled large sections of Port-au-Prince, including government facilities, major roads and residential neighborhoods.
“We will establish a base of operations at the stadium to advance from there into gang-controlled territories,” Bukele said, according to an English translation of his social media statement.
“We now have the advantage over the field,” he added.
The operation comes amid an expanding Salvadoran military presence in Haiti, following the disappearance of four Salvadoran aviation technicians during a gang attack in October. Their disappearance has added another dimension to El Salvador’s involvement in Haiti’s security efforts.
The Salvadoran president also issued a warning to armed groups operating in the area.
“I advise all gang members to leave the area before the offensive begins,” Bukele said. “Those who choose to remain and fight our forces will have to assume the consequences.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
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