El Salvador Says Haitian Gangs Hold Four Military Personnel; Bukele Issues Ultimatum

El Salvador's government said on Wednesday that gangs in Haiti were holding four of its military personnel hostage, and it announced a new rescue mission, Reuters reported.

The four are Salvadoran personnel serving with the Gang Suppression Force, an international security force operating in Haiti. According to Reuters, they went missing on Sunday after jumping from an armored vehicle that was ambushed by armed gangs on the outskirts of a location in Haiti. The vehicle was on fire at the time.

President Nayib Bukele has asked for the four to be released. The New York Times reported that he wanted them returned.

On Wednesday, Bukele issued an ultimatum to the gangs, a final demand backed by a threat. He warned that he would end certain Haitian gangs if they did not release the four soldiers, according to Diario Las Américas and Yahoo News.

In his statement, Bukele said a military operation was under way to rescue the kidnapped Salvadoran soldiers in Haiti, as BBC Mundo reported.