Seven combat helicopters of the Salvadoran Air Force were transported to the El Rodeo military base in Jimaní, Independence Province, on Thursday as part of operations following the kidnapping of four military technicians by armed gangs in Haiti. President Nayib Bukele addressed the Haitian people in a letter, stating that the presence of Salvadoran troops and aircraft does not constitute an invasion but a mission aimed at rescuing the soldiers who have been held captive for 11 days. Dominican President Luis Abinader confirmed that his administration is in constant communication with the Salvadoran counterpart to coordinate logistical support, transit facilitation, intelligence sharing, and medical evacuations. The helicopters, models MD500 and MD530, arrived in Haiti early Wednesday morning at the Las Américas International Airport (AILA) aboard a National Airlines Boeing 747‑400 cargo flight (NCR880) from San Salvador. A video shows the aircraft parked at the border military installation. The deployment follows an ambush that occurred on 18 October near Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, where a Salvadoran delegation was attacked. The military command has not yet specified the exact date or the specific tasks the seven helicopters will perform once they enter Haitian territory.
Article source: El Nuevo Diario | Image credit: El Nuevo Diario