Gang violence grips Haiti as diplomatic and military tracks collide

Haiti's entrenched gang crisis has produced two parallel developments: a notorious gang leader is seeking dialogue with the United Nations, while El Salvador has deployed 2,000 troops to hunt for four of its soldiers missing after an attack near the capital. The UN has confirmed receipt of the gang leader's letter but stressed that this does not signal any recognition or endorsement.

Gangs control most of Port-au-Prince and have terrorized Haitians for years, fighting over territory and resources. The UN Security Council-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) was established to take on the gangs, protect vital infrastructure and enable humanitarian aid to move.

The missing soldiers and El Salvador's response

The four Salvadoran soldiers, serving with the GSF, disappeared during an attack by armed groups on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince on 18 October. Media reports said the troops El Salvador sent at the end of October are on a mission to rescue them.

The GSF is authorized to have 5,500 personnel, but the number remains well below that target. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the “vast majority” of the additional 2,000 Salvadoran troops operating in Haiti “are not deployed under the Gang Suppression Force.” He added that all "security operations conducted in Haiti, whether under the framework of the GSF or by national authorities and their partners, must be carried out in full accordance with applicable international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law."

A gang leader's letter to the UN

Wilson Joseph – one of Haiti's most feared gang leaders – has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling for dialogue with international forces in the country, presenting himself as an interlocutor ready to negotiate peace. Joseph, nicknamed Lanmò Sanjou, leads the 400 Mawozo gang, notorious for kidnappings for ransom.

The UN confirmed on Monday evening that it had received the letter but distanced itself from its contents. "The receipt of such a letter does not constitute an endorsement of its contents, nor an acknowledgment of its author, nor a position taken by the United Nations," Dujarric said in a note to the press.

In his letter, Joseph requested that a UN delegation be sent to engage in discussions with his group, as the gang leader claimed – according to reports – to have “officially raised the white flag” in seeking a peaceful solution to the Haitian crisis. He fears that the Salvadoran intervention will provoke an increase in reprisals against civilians, while noting that the four missing Salvadorans are now dead. The Haitian authorities consider them missing, while the Salvadoran government believes they are still alive.

Joseph's conciliatory stance contrasts dramatically with his organization's past. Based in Croix-des-Bouquets, northeast of Port-au-Prince, 400 Mawozo infamously kidnapped 17 missionaries from the United States and Canada in October 2021. The FBI is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Joseph's arrest.

Civilians bear the brunt

Civilians continue to suffer the most from gang violence. More than 5,700 people were killed or injured between January and mid-September this year, while nearly 1.5 million Haitians were forced to flee their homes because of violence and insecurity. According to the UN, around 6.4 million people – more than half the population – require humanitarian assistance across the country.

Analysis: A fragile dual-track approach

The convergence of a gang leader's peace overture and a foreign troop deployment underscores the complexity of Haiti's crisis. The GSF, authorized for 5,500 personnel, remains understrength, and the additional Salvadoran troops operate largely outside its framework, raising questions about coordination and legal oversight. The UN's careful language – acknowledging receipt of the letter without legitimizing its author – reflects the delicate balance between exploring any path to reducing violence and avoiding recognition of criminal actors.

For now, the fate of the four missing soldiers remains disputed, and the gang leader's offer of dialogue is met with deep skepticism given his group's violent history. With millions in need of aid and gangs controlling the capital, the international response faces both military and diplomatic tests.