El Salvador troops join UN mission in Haiti to fight gangsters

 
A military contingent from El Salvador arrived in Haiti on Tuesday to bolster a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police to help fight gangs that killed thousands of people last year and control much of the capital.

The 70 soldiers will provide expertise in air support, which Kenyan officials said will be critical for medical evacuations.
The Salvadorans are the latest to join the mission in recent months, reports AP.

Additional police officers from Kenya were deployed last month for a total of more than 600 now in Haiti. They have been joined by police, soldiers and other officials from countries including Jamaica and Guatemala.

Gang violence keeps surging across Port-au-Prince and beyond, with gunmen in recent days killing at least 40 people in an upscale community.
The U.S. and other countries have warned that the Kenya-led mission lacks funding and personnel as they push to transform it into a U.N.-peacekeeping mission.

More than 5,600 people were reported killed last year across Haiti and more than 2,200 others were injured. Gang violence has left more than one million people homeless in recent years, according to the U.N.

President Voltaire emphasized that the arrival of the Salvadoran troops would strengthen MSS operations in Haiti.
He expressed gratitude to the government of El Salvador for the deployment, noting that the troops would bring valuable expertise gained from their efforts to combat gang violence in their own country.

Voltaire reiterated the Haitian government's commitment to providing all necessary support to the MSS mission and stressed the importance of collaboration between MSS forces and the PNH in restoring security.

Force Commander Otunge warmly welcomed the Salvadoran contingent, highlighting their critical role in fulfilling the MSS mandate to restore peace and stability in Haiti.

He commended President Voltaire, the Haitian leadership, and MSS partner nations for their ongoing support of the mission.
Otunge also acknowledged the Canadian government's key role in facilitating the Salvadoran troops' deployment and expressed appreciation to other contributing nations, including France, for their continued support.

The Salvadoran contingent brings valuable expertise in air support operations, particularly in casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).

The arrival of helicopters, expected by the end of the week, will further enhance the mission's evacuation capacity.