El Salvador: More than 600 gang members arrested in two days

El Salvadorian president Nayib Bukele said that more than 600 gang members have been arrested since the country declared a state of emergency after gang killings.

Ekleme: 28.03.2022 17:11:12 / Güncelleme: 28.03.2022 17:11:12 / English News
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Police reported a total of 62 homicides on Saturday, making it the most violent day in nearly three decades in the Central American country.

“Almost 600 catches in just TWO days… And the EXCEPTION REGIME lasts 30 days, extendable! And don't think they'll go free,” Bukele tweeted.

Approximately 70,000 gang members operate in El Salvador, according to local media sources.

They exert control over territory and extort and gather intelligence on residents and those passing through, particularly around public transit, schools, and markets.

The gang-plagued nation registered 1,140 murders in 2021 – which equates to 18 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants -- fewer than the 1,341 registered the previous year and the lowest figure since the end of the civil war in 1992.

The MS-13 and Barrio-18 gangs, among others, are mainly responsible for homicides, extortion, and drug trafficking, according to the officials. (ILKHA)