Dominican Republic reinforces border with Haiti amid security crisis

Additional troops on the southern border section

President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinader on Sunday ordered the deployment of two additional battalions, heavy equipment and artillery to reinforce the southern sector of the border with Haiti, the local newspaper Hoy reported. Before these reinforcements, about 11,000 troops were already deployed along the border. On Monday, Abinader plans to discuss the situation on the border during his weekly broadcast La Agenda Semanal, which airs at 3:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. GMT). He will be accompanied by Defense Minister Carlos Antonio Fernandez Onofre, Foreign Minister Victor Bisono and senior military officials.

Contacts with El Salvador and the situation in Haiti

“We are in permanent session,” Abinader said, adding that the authorities are monitoring the situation in Haiti, according to the Dominican presidency. He also said he had been in contact with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and maintained communication with the gang-suppression force operating in Haiti. The Dominican government is monitoring the kidnapping of four Salvadoran military technicians in Haiti; Bukele announced the dispatch of a team to help secure their release, the Dominican presidency reported.

Border measures and the context of the crisis

Amid the crisis, the Dominican Republic has tightened border controls, including the construction of a border wall aimed at curbing irregular migration, smuggling and other cross-border activity. The authorities have also stepped up migration controls and deportations of undocumented Haitians amid the escalation of violence in the neighboring country. According to Anadolu, Haiti is experiencing a protracted security crisis: armed gangs control a significant part of the country, including the capital Port-au-Prince, and the violence has led to the displacement of residents, disruptions to basic services and complications in efforts to restore order. The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and has previously repeatedly strengthened border controls over concerns about instability and cross-border movement.

Why it matters

The escalation on the border affects thousands of Dominicans living in border areas, as well as Haitians facing deportations. According to the sources, practical changes are already underway: an increased military presence in the southern section, tighter migration controls and the ongoing construction of the border wall. However, the sources do not report any specific incidents that prompted this decision — it remains unknown what served as the immediate trigger for the redeployment of the battalions.