Most of the Salvadoran soldiers sent to Haiti on President Nayib Bukele's orders are not part of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said on Monday, November 2, Juno7 and HaitiLibre reported.

Because they are not deployed under the force, they fall outside the mandate and reporting of the UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), which gives the force logistical and operational support, Juno7 reported. HaitiLibre said this also means they are not covered by the force's accountability mechanism.

The UN said every security operation, whether carried out by the force, national authorities or their partners, must respect international law, with the protection of civilians, transparency and accountability at its center.

In the same statement, Dujarric confirmed that the UN had received a letter dated November 1 and signed by Wilson Joseph, known as “Lanmò Sanjou,” leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, asking for UN mediation. He stressed that receiving the letter did not mean approving its content or recognizing its author. El Salvador has sent more than 2,000 troops since four of its aviation technicians went missing in an ambush on October 18, according to the Associated Press.