Dominican Defense Minister says Haiti border remains “completely calm”

Amid mounting regional security concerns driven by escalating armed gang violence across neighboring Haiti, Dominican Republic Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández delivered a public update on Wednesday confirming that the entire shared border between the two nations remains entirely peaceful and free of unrest, following an on-site inspection of key official border crossing points. Fernández led the inspection tour alongside Presidency Minister José Ignacio Paliza, making stops at active border checkpoints spanning the high-traffic border regions of Dajabón, Elías Piña, Jimaní, and Pedernales. On-site authorities confirmed that all cross-border commercial activity, pre-vetted authorized pedestrian movement, and regular day-to-day operations for border communities are proceeding without disruption, with no interruptions to standard protocols. In his official briefing, Fernández clarified that active armed gang concentrations are currently clustered in inland Haitian zones including Mirebalais and Croix-des-Bouquets, noting that these populated gang strongholds sit significantly farther from the Dominican border than many uncorroborated recent media accounts have claimed. The high-profile inspection comes on the heels of a recent deployment of Salvadoran military forces to Haiti, dispatched to conduct counter-gang operations and locate four Salvadoran service members who went missing after a violent October 18 militant attack. The Dominican Republic has already ramped up its border security footprint in recent weeks, with President Luis Abinader confirming that two additional military battalions, heavy tactical equipment, and artillery assets have been deployed to the border zone to reinforce the roughly 11,000 military personnel already stationed along the frontier. During the joint appearance, Paliza emphasized a measured, rule-abiding approach to the ongoing Haitian conflict, underlining that all cross-border security coordination will adhere strictly to established international protocols to prevent unnecessary escalation and avoid extending the duration of the ongoing regional crisis. He also confirmed that the Dominican government is delivering targeted logistical support, real-time intelligence sharing, military hardware, and medical aid to Salvadoran forces operating in Haiti as needs arise. Both senior officials reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Dominican Armed Forces to upholding full security and stability along the entire border stretch, noting that the national government stands ready to roll out additional targeted security measures immediately if evolving conditions on the ground demand further action.