Biden administration charters helicopters to evacuate up to 1,600 Americans trapped in Haiti as gang violence leaves bodies in the streets and gun battles spread to the suburbs

The Biden administration has begun chartering helicopters to evacuate Americans wanting to leave Haiti as gang violence continues to spread and the death toll rises.

Up to 1,600 U.S. citizens have requested help from the State Department to deal with the airport closure and the carnage spreading to upscale neighborhoods around the capital Port-au-Prince.

Armed gangs launched attacks in suburbs and bodies were left in the streets following heavy gunfire.

Residents of communities under fire have called radio stations to plead for help from the Haitian National Police, who are outnumbered by the gangs.

Citizens facing barbarity in the streets carried wooden coffins across roads littered with debris and fires.

The State Department launched the first flights Wednesday to take Americans from Haiti to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Thirty American citizens will be able to leave Port-au-Prince daily aboard helicopter flights organized by the American government, the agency said.

“Since March 20, the U.S. government has been facilitating the safe departure of U.S. citizens from Port-au-Prince, Haiti,” said State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel.

“We are in the process of arranging government-chartered helicopter flights from Port-au-Prince to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, where U.S. government personnel are present to provide consular assistance.

“And from Santo Domingo, U.S. citizens will be responsible for their own travel to the United States.”

Patel also confirmed that the number of Americans needing help has nearly doubled in just a few days, from 1,000 earlier in the week to 1,600 on Wednesday.

“Some want to explore options for leaving. Some just want to stay in touch with the United States of America or the embassy,” Patel said. “Some want expertise or advice on how they might stay safe and others may not be not able to leave safely now, but can be. down the line.’

Gunmen burned police stations, forced the closure of Haiti’s main international airport and stormed the country’s two largest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates.

Dozens of people have been killed and some 17,000 left homeless due to the violence.

More than 360,000 people are internally displaced in Haiti, according to UN estimates.

Unelected Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced last week that he would resign, but a plan backed by Caribbean states and Washington to establish an interim presidential council has not yet been named.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stepped in to help by chartering flights from the violence-wracked country to his state.

Republican Rep. Cory Mills, also of Florida, flew two helicopter missions to rescue stranded Americans.