Four Salvadoran soldiers from the Gang Suppression Force (FRG) have been reported missing in the Cul-de-Sac plain, learned Le Nouvelliste from two government sources on Sunday, October 18, 2026. According to one of these sources, the soldiers were captured by members of the gang "Chen Mechan." In a statement, the FRG confirmed that a vehicle carrying its personnel was attacked by armed individuals in the Santo area of Croix-des-Bouquets, but did not report the disappearance of its members.

"Without informing the PNH, these soldiers took it upon themselves to go to a store in the Cul-de-Sac plain using Google Maps. They ended up at an address in Santo 17. Since then, we have had no news of them," explained a government source to Nouvelliste, confirming information that had been circulating since Sunday afternoon.