El Salvador deployed 10,000 troops and agents this weekend in the fight against drug gangs. Heavily armed troops surround Soyapango, a sub-city of the capital San Salvador. All houses and inhabitants are checked.
The Central American country has been battling drug gangs for years that have seized power in many places. With the encirclement of Soyapango, a city of about 290,000 inhabitants, the president of El Salvador wants to find and arrest all the members of the gang.
“Ordinary citizens have nothing to fear and can go on living their lives,” President Nayib Bukele tweeted about the move. “This is an operation against criminals, not honest citizens.”
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Tens of thousands of people have already been arrested in tough policies that have received international criticism
According to local media several gang members have already been arrested. These would include men who have worked with MS-13, a notorious gang with active members in many countries in the region. It is still unclear how many people were arrested during the large-scale action.
The National Police of El Salvador shares images of the many house searches and arrests. “We will not stop until we catch the last terrorist and provide honest Salvadorans with the security they have always wanted,” tweets police.
Gang violence is a major concern in El Salvador. Especially after 62 murders were committed in one day last March, according to police. President Bukele then announced the state of emergency after which more than 58,000 people were arrested and detained.
Human rights organizations are critical of the tough policy. So second Amnesty International suspects are tortured and end up behind bars without evidence or due process. Against this criticism, the to report that the majority of El Salvador residents support the repression.
