Human remains found in Haiti: what the multinational force says and why Bukele rules out that they are Salvadoran soldiers

Following an October 18 attack by armed gangs in the Croix-des-Bouquets area of Haiti, conflicting reports emerged regarding four missing Salvadoran military personnel or aviation technicians. While the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) reported receiving human remains that could belong to the missing men, and reports citing The New York Times indicated the bodies were found in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele publicly denied that the recovered remains belonged to his nation's personnel.

Concurrently, the security crisis in Haiti prompted diplomatic dialogue between El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Amid the regional tension, the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti remained open for normal commercial activity at the Mal Paso crossing in Jimaní, while the Dominican Army reinforced its presence and supervised strategic points in the area.