El Mozote massacre

El Mozote massacre

On December 11, 1981, Salvadoran Army units carried out a massacre in the village of El Mozote in Morazán Department, El Salvador. Soldiers of the Atlácatl Battalion, trained by the United States military, entered the village and killed hundreds of civilians, including men, women, and children.

The army reportedly used systematic tactics, separating men from women and children before executing them. Victims were shot, burned, or killed using other methods. Survivors who attempted to flee were also reportedly killed. The operation targeted El Mozote due to its perceived support for leftist guerrillas during the Salvadoran Civil War.

Subsequent investigations by human rights organizations and journalists estimated that more than 800 civilians were killed. The massacre became emblematic of the broader human rights abuses during the Salvadoran Civil War, prompting national and international condemnation.