On November 12, an operation was conducted in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, to regain control of the Silvio Cator National Football Stadium. During the fighting, Salvadoran special forces, working alongside local security forces, used quadrupedal robots equipped with automatic rifles, Al Jazeera reports.
Technology in the combat zone
According to elsalvador.com, at least two robot dogs were deployed in the operation. Due to their design, they are capable of moving through narrow passages and staircases. It is currently not specified whether the weapons mounted on them were used directly during clashes with the gangs.
Operation results and security force plans
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele published a video of the operation showing the movement of armored vehicles and robots across the stadium grounds. According to the head of state, the stadium, which had been under the control of criminal groups for more than two years, will now serve as an operational base for further offensives in gang-occupied territories.
During the clearing of the site, the military discovered several human skulls, though the identities of the remains' owners have not yet been established.
Context
The increase in Salvadoran military presence in Haiti occurred following an attack by armed gangs on Salvadoran military personnel. Haiti is a Caribbean nation with a population of approximately 11 million people.
