Dominican President Luis Abinader said guaranteeing national security was his responsibility and announced that more troops had been sent to the border with Haiti, HaitiLibre reported on Monday, October 26.

About 11,000 soldiers were already deployed along the border, out of the 63,000 in the Dominican armed forces, Abinader said. Two more battalions, at least 1,000 troops, have been sent along with heavy equipment and artillery.

The announcement comes days after the Dominican defense ministry ruled out closing the border, and as El Salvador searches for four of its soldiers missing in Haiti since an ambush in Croix-des-Bouquets on October 18. Le Nouvelliste reported that Abinader has offered his help to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.