Dominican Special Operations Command in Haiti

The government announced on Wednesday that members of the Special Operations Command (COEN in Spanish) of the Dominican Republic will be in Haiti working in the area of security as members of the United Nations Stabilization Mission on Haiti (MINUSTAH).

“Their work will be limited to maintaining the security of other international aid being sent by friendly countries using our territory as a corridor to deliver humanitarian relief to Haiti.”

The official announcement stated that the group is equipped and trained as specialists in the areas of disaster, environmental degradation, illegal immigration and emergencies as well as in peacekeeping missions. They would, as part of their job, be in charge of protecting the vehicles that are transporting Haitians affected directly or indirectly by the January 12 earthquake, according to a communiqué from the Presidential office.

“Members of the military command will not be in Haitian territory as the Dominican Armed Forces but rather as part of the integrated forces under MINUSTAH.” The government clarified that members of this tactical unit will do nothing in addition to what they’ve done up until now and that includes protecting aid deliveries and Dominican personnel who are participating in the relief effort.

“Their work will be limited to maintaining the security of other international aid being sent by friendly countries using our territory as a corridor to deliver humanitarian relief to Haiti.”

The command group is not comprised of regular soldiers but rather of specialists in humanitarian aid, citizen safety, search and rescue, peacekeepers, mountain, urban and rural area operations, amphibious operations, border and airspace control, among other tasks.