US airlifts more than 230 citizens out of Haiti amid gang rebellion
Source: ABC News
March 23, 2024, 9:25 AM
More than 230 U.S. citizens were evacuated from Haiti this week, a State Department spokesperson said, as a gang-led rebellion continues to surge through the Caribbean nation. The U.S. agency assisted over 130 Americans in departing Port-au-Prince since March 20 and over 100 citizens in departing Cap-Haitien since March 17, according to the spokesperson.
"We will continue to monitor demand from U.S. citizens for assistance in departing Haiti on a real-time basis," the spokesperson said Saturday. The agency reiterated that U.S. citizens should not travel to Haiti and should depart the country when transportation options are available and it is "safe to do so."
The U.S. on Wednesday orchestrated two helicopter airlifts from Port-au-Prince -- evacuating more than 30 stranded Americans to the Dominican Republic.
After officials spent days weighing escape routes for citizens trapped in the perilous capital city, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel announced in a briefing that an operation involving government-chartered helicopters would get underway, with multiple flights planned to help as many people depart as possible.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-airlifts-30-citizens-haitis-capital-amid-gang/story?id=108327758