Bukele says bodies handed over in Haiti are not the four missing Salvadoran technicians
El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele says remains handed over in Haiti are not those of four Salvadoran air technicians missing since a gang ambush, contradicting a New York Times report. The identities have not been independently confirmed.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, said on Saturday that human remains handed over in Haiti by a nongovernmental organisation were not those of four missing Salvadoran military air technicians, writing on X: "They are not our men." Anadolu AgencyN “"They are not our men," Bukele wrote on the US social media platform X.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ BBC NewsN “Four bodies handed over to special forces on a mission to Haiti to recover Salvadoran hostages are "not our men"” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2Bukele said the remains included a child, a man considerably taller than the technicians, and a person wearing part of a uniform from an army that is not El Salvador's, and that identification cards and uniforms from other countries were also found. Anadolu AgencyN “He said the remains included a child, a man considerably taller than the missing technicians and a person wearing part of a foreign military uniform.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ BBC NewsN “a person "who was wearing part of a uniform from an army that is not ours"” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1He posted pictures showing the ID card of a member of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and a corresponding national ID card from Chad. BBC NewsN “He posted pictures showing the ID card of a GSF member and a corresponding national ID card from Chad in Africa.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 2His statement contradicted a New York Times report that four bodies recovered on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince were believed to be the missing Salvadorans, citing two people familiar with the international security mission; another source said the bodies were badly burned and needed autopsies to confirm identities. Anadolu AgencyN “The New York Times reported Saturday that four bodies believed to be those of the missing Salvadorans had been recovered on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, citing two people familiar with the international security mission.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ BBC NewsN “The newspaper reported that the bodies delivered to the military contingent had been badly burned, meaning a medical examination would be required to identify them.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1According to the BBC, the New York Times also cited an unnamed source who said the ID Bukele posted belonged to a soldier who had lost it when injured; this claim is not independently verified. BBC NewsN “It cited one unnamed source briefed on the situation as saying the ID posted by Bukele in fact belonged to a soldier who had lost it when he had been injured.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1Scott Reece, a former US State Department security official whose organisation Hero Client Rescue retrieved the remains, said they were taken to the international airport for handover to a Salvadoran military team, and that his group went as "a neutral humanitarian medical team". Anadolu AgencyN “Scott Reece, a former US State Department security official whose humanitarian organization, Hero Client Rescue, retrieved the remains, said they were transported to the international airport for handover to a Salvadoran military team.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 2The four technicians disappeared on 18 October, Anadolu reported, when gunmen ambushed their armoured vehicle in Croix-des-Bouquets, a gang-controlled area northeast of Port-au-Prince; they were travelling back to camp and no gang has claimed responsibility, although media reports have pointed to the Chen Mechan and 400 Mawozo gangs. Anadolu AgencyN “The four technicians disappeared Oct. 18 after gunmen ambushed their armored vehicle in Croix-des-Bouquets, a gang-controlled area northeast of Port-au-Prince.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ BBC NewsN “No gang has so far claimed responsibility.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2They served with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, where Bukele said their role was medical evacuations and saving lives, not waging war. BBC NewsN “Bukele said the four GSF members had primarily been there to "carry out medical evacuations and save lives, not to wage war".” Read at BBC News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Their duties included transportation and medical evacuations.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2El Salvador sent a military contingent to search for them, reportedly about 450 soldiers according to Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste, and the US provided logistical help with a C-130 aircraft, according to El Salvador.com; the Salvadoran armed forces said helicopter and ground attempts to reach the site were hampered by fighting. BBC NewsN “Approximately 450 soldiers had so far been deployed, according to Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste.”“helicopters were deployed and multiple attempts were made to reach the location, but these efforts were hampered by fighting in the area” Read at BBC News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “the US provided logistical assistance through a C-130 military aircraft, according to El Salvador.com.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Dominican Republic president Luis Abinader said he had discussed logistical and intelligence cooperation with Bukele and that border surveillance had been reinforced, adding that gangs had not approached the border. Anadolu AgencyN “Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said on X that he had discussed logistical and intelligence cooperation with Bukele regarding operations against criminal gangs in Haiti.”“He said criminal gangs had not approached the Dominican Republic's border” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1As of Saturday the identities of the recovered remains had not been independently confirmed and the whereabouts of the four technicians remained unknown; the GSF, which arrived in April, has struggled to reach its planned 5,500 personnel. Anadolu AgencyN “As of Saturday, the identities of the recovered remains had not been independently confirmed, and the whereabouts of the four Salvadoran technicians remained unknown.”“The GSF, which arrived in April, has struggled to reach its planned deployment of 5,500 personnel.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets lead with Bukele's denial, presenting it as contradicting the New York Times report, and note identities remain unconfirmed.
- Emphasis
- Anadolu adds the NGO handover account, the 18 October ambush date, and Dominican Republic border statements; the BBC adds the Chad ID card, the unnamed source disputing it, and UN casualty figures.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Anadolu omits the dispute over the ID card; the BBC omits Reece's account of the handover.
- Charged language
- “hostages”“abducted”
- For example
-
“contradicting reports by The New York Times” — Anadolu Agency
“Bukele's comments poured skepticism on an earlier report in the New York Times” — BBC News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Bukele said the remains handed over in Haiti were not those of the four missing Salvadorans.
- The New York Times reported the bodies were believed to be the missing men and badly burned.
- The four were part of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force and were ambushed in Croix-des-Bouquets.
- No independent confirmation of the remains' identities was reported.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the recovered bodies are the missing Salvadorans
- Centre
- Bukele says they are not (child, taller man, foreign uniform and IDs); the New York Times, citing sources, reported they were believed to be the missing men and needed autopsies to confirm. Both outlets relay both versions without resolving it.
-
Origin of the ID card Bukele posted
- Centre
- BBC reports an unnamed source told the NYT the card belonged to a soldier who lost it when injured; Bukele presented it as found among the remains. Anadolu does not cover this.
Nayib Bukele person
Says the remains are not the missing technicians, citing a child's body, a much taller man, foreign uniforms and IDs, and says the mission's sole purpose is to return the four alive.
“"They are not our men," Bukele wrote on the US social media platform X.” — Anadolu Agency
“Bukele previously said the Salvadoran military operation in Haiti had the sole purpose of returning the four men alive.” — BBC News
Haiti place
Setting of the ambush; gang violence has displaced over 1.5 million people and the international force has struggled to reach its planned strength.
“Haiti's gangs have killed thousands of people and forced more than 1.5 million from their homes.” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
-
El Salvador's president denies report that bodies found in Haiti are missing Salvadoran soldiers
Neutral Report presenting Bukele's denial against the NYT account, with the NGO's handover account and regional context.
-
El Salvador president says bodies found in Haiti are not those of hostages
Neutral Frames the denial as casting scepticism on the NYT report and includes the disputed ID card detail.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 25 Oct 08:03 First Anadolu AgencyN El Salvador's president denies report that bodies found in Haiti are missing Salvadoran soldiers
- 25 Oct 10:55 +2h 52m BBC NewsN El Salvador president says bodies found in Haiti are not those of hostages
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…