More than 5,000 soldiers and 500 police officers were sent to a town in the northwestern part of El Salvador after a police officer was killed by a suspected gang member, President Nayib Bukele said on Wednesday.
The police officer was killed in an attack by suspected gang members on Tuesday in the town of Nueva Concepcion, around 42 miles (67 kilometers) from the capital of San Salvador.
The move comes as part of Bukele’s widespread crackdown on gangs and state of exception, which began after 62 people were killed in 72 hours.