El Salvador sends 2,500 more soldiers to help police in crime-plagued regions

Associated Press
11/04/09 5:30 PM PST

SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador's defense minister says the army will send an additional 2,500 soldiers to crime-plagued parts of the country to increase security.

Gen. David Munguia Payes says the troops will join 1,200 other soldiers carrying out joint patrols with police as part of the "Community Support" program.

Munguia said Wednesday the new troops will arrive Friday.

President Mauricio Funes ordered more troops because of a spike in crime. The soldiers will patrol parts of San Salvador, La Libertad, Sonsonate, Santa Ana and San Miguel, five of the 14 provinces with the highest crime rates.

In the first 10 months of the year, there were 3,673 homicides in El Salvador, up from 3,179 in all of 2008. Many killings involve street gangs.

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