Haitian gangs kidnapped four Salvadoran aircraft technicians after ambushing an international security force vehicle Saturday in Santo northeast of Port-au-Prince. The men escaped a burning vehicle hit by gunfire and explosives, while helicopters under fire pushed the attackers back. Haitian sources said the Chen Mechan gang held them after they used mapping software to visit a store without telling national police, and a later operation killed several gang members.

The attack came hours before a UN Security Council meeting on Haiti violence that has killed over 1,000 and abducted over 100 from July through September. US and Salvadoran diplomats condemned the incident and vowed to bring the missing personnel home as Haiti delayed elections planned for 2026.