ALERT – The Pentagon finally deployed U.S. troops to Haiti amidst the growing criminal gang violence and chaos engulfing our Caribbean neighbor. But the U.S. forces sent in by air on Sunday aren't there to quell the violence or help the Haitian National Police establish order.
The Marines were tasked with evacuating American diplomats and their dependents from the embassy in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and to reinforce embassy security.
The neighborhood around the embassy has been one of the hardest hit, hence the evacuation order. Some estimates say that at least 80% of the capital has been overrun by the savage gangs. (RELATED: Heavily Armed Gangs Try To Seize Control Of Country's Largest Airport)
In 2021, Joe Biden sent Marines from the Marine Security Guard Security Augmentation Unit to the same embassy “out of an abundance of caution” following the assassination of the Haitian president but now insisted that sending U.S. forces to stabilize the country was “not on the agenda.”
The Tampa Bay Times reported:
Since last Thursday, armed groups have led a coordinated attack, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and targeting key Haitian government institutions. After taking control of several police stations, they targeted the main seaport before orchestrating a mass prison break at the two largest prisons. Thousands of inmates were freed by the gangs, including several notorious gang leaders.
The gangs have also launched attacks against the international and domestic airports. Heavy gunfire around the airports has led to the suspension of international flights into the country. Henry, who is under pressure by the United States and the Caribbean Community to resign, remains outside of the country, unable to return.
Also on Thursday, some outlets reported that the U.S. had already deployed Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) Marines to Haiti. But by Friday, the story had been corrected to show that they hadn't actually been deployed, but their use was under consideration.
The Pentagon apparently didn't like the media jumping the gun and publicizing their planned covert action.
As the Marine Corps Times reported:
The Marines would be deployed at the request of the State Department, according to the defense official. Marine Corps Times asked the State Department for further details Thursday and didn't receive a response.
“Deploying a FAST platoon is one option at the DoD's disposal should the DoS request assistance with security at the U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince,” Maj. Mason Englehart, a spokesman for Marine Corps Forces South, wrote in an email…on Friday.
Then, early Sunday morning, under cover of darkness, the Marines went in via helicopter.
The Daily Mail reported that the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), responsible for Latin America and the Caribbean stated: “This airlift of personnel into and out of the embassy is consistent with our standard practice for embassy security augmentation worldwide, and no Haitians were on board the military aircraft.”
The airlift operation at the embassy, SOUTHCOM added, saw several nonessential embassy personnel evacuated, while an unknown number of Marines remained to bolster embassy security. (RELATED: Siege Continues To Rock US Ally In Africa)
On Monday, criminal gangs were seen hurling Molotov cocktails at the Ministry of Interior and Territorial Communities, not far from the U.S. embassy. And the stench of unattended decaying corpses is driving residents from their homes, as dogs and other animals begin to gnaw on the dead.
Meanwhile, the widespread violence, which has so far killed at least 4,000 and seen 3,000 kidnapped, threatens to spread across the border to the Dominican Republic.
The Daily Mail added:
The Dominican Republic has since closed its land border with Haiti, seemingly leaving the other side of Hispaniola to its fate.
‘Given the current situation, the presence of the Haitian prime minister in the Dominican Republic is not considered appropriate,' Abinader said Sunday, hours after word spread of the US embassy evacuation.
The politician added that ‘this decision reflects the firm position of the Dominican government to safeguard its national security and stability,' and billed the security situation in Haiti as ‘totally unsustainable'.
He added that the violence currently being seen in the country ‘poses a direct threat to the safety and stability of the Dominican Republic,' while predicting ‘the situation could deteriorate even further if a peacekeeping force is not implemented urgently.'
Citing the gangs' recent capture of a critical port and their continued takeover of territory, Caribbean leaders Monday called for an emergency meeting in Jamaica, to respond to the “dire” situation.
FAST Marines are part of the Yorktown, Virginia-based Marine Corps Security Force Regiment. They receive specialized training on noncombatant evacuation operations (NEOs), close-quarters battle (CQB), military operations in urban terrain (MOUT), convoy operations, shipboard operations and specialized security operations.
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