El Salvador sends 100 special forces troops to Haiti to rescue four soldiers abducted after a gang ambush

President Nayib Bukele has threatened a more forceful response if the four aviation technicians are not released alive and unharmed. A further 100 Salvadorean soldiers were due to be deployed to Haiti on Thursday night, according to a government official. Salvadorean authorities are working on the assumption that the missing men are still alive. Haiti's government confirmed on Wednesday that the four had been abducted.

Gangs fired on the soldiers' armoured vehicle and used explosives in Sunday's attack in Croix-des-Bouquets.

It is the first major attack on Haiti's new international Gang Suppression Force.

An International Crisis Group analyst said finding the men will be like finding a needle in a haystack.