Salvadoran military forces have launched aerial strikes deep within Haiti, targeting the residence of Wilson Joseph, a prominent gang leader known by the alias Lanmò Sanjou. The operation marks a significant escalation in the regional conflict, with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador sharing video footage of the air raid on Tuesday. He described the action as a "promise kept," stating that his forces destroyed both Sanjou's home and the headquarters of the 400 Mawozo syndicate.
Joseph commands the 400 Mawozo gang, which maintains a presence in key areas of Haiti, including Croix-des-Bouquets and the Cul-de-Sac Plain. In his social media post, Bukele claimed that most members of the syndicate fled the scene without attempting to engage in combat, dismissing them as "cowards." The strikes follow a period of heightened tension between the two nations, triggered by the mid-October ambush and abduction of Salvadoran aviation technicians in Haiti.
The deployment of more than 2,000 Salvadoran troops and attack helicopters was conducted outside the framework of the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force. While there is currently no evidence that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has provided backing for El Salvador's unilateral operation, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to endorse the move. Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump noted that Bukele identified a "big problem" with Haiti, adding, "I said, look, you’re running your country, you have to do what you have to do."
Analysts believe the Salvadoran intervention is aimed at dismantling the broader paramilitary coalition led by Jimmy Chérizier, popularly known as Barbecue. A former officer in the Haitian National Police, Chérizier heads the coalition that has exerted significant control over parts of the country. The current operations represent a direct challenge to his authority and the stability of the Haitian state.
"The gangs won’t be able to sleep!" Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said in reaction to recent law enforcement successes, adding that the battle to liberate Haiti "from the grip of bandits" continues with determination.
The Salvadoran strikes occur amid a broader crackdown on criminal organizations in Haiti. On November 6, Mathias Saintil, a notorious mob boss who led the Boston gang in the Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, was neutralized during a law enforcement operation. Prime Minister Fils-Aimé cited Saintil's demise as part of the ongoing effort to restore order in the capital, asserting that the government remains committed to dismantling the structures of organized crime.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
