Amid the violence and disorder in the gang overrun capital of Haiti, the Biden administration deployed Marines to evacuate nonessential embassy personnel over the weekend.
President Biden had previously declined to send U.S. forces to Haiti, where the situation on the ground threatens to spiral into complete anarchy.
Gang members engaged in a major battle with security forces last Monday for control of Port-au-Prince's international airport after orchestrating two nearby prison breaks, freeing thousands of inmates. (RELATED: Gangs Try To Seize Control Of Country's Largest Airport, Civilian Massacres Reported)
Fox News has more on the country's disintegration:
U.S. Southern Command said non-essential personnel were airlifted, and no Haitians were on board the aircraft. Nonessential personnel can include the families of diplomats, but the embassy had already ordered departure for nonessential staff and all family members in July.
The neighborhood around the embassy in the capital, Port-au-Prince, is largely controlled by gangs.
“Our Embassy remains focused on advancing U.S. government efforts to support the Haitian people, including mobilizing support for the Haitian National Police, expediting the deployment of the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, and accelerating a peaceful transition of power via free and fair elections,” Southcom said.
The latest development in Haiti's already deteriorating situation comes after the country's embattled prime minister, Ariel Henry, traveled to Kenya to push for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country to fight the gangs. But a Kenyan court ruled in January that such a deployment would be unconstitutional.
The White House remains committed to working with Henry to mobilize the proposed Kenyan force to wrest back control from gang leaders. However, the prime minister is stranded in Puerto Rico after being unable to land safely in his own country.
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