The United States Southern Command is prepared to execute a noncombatant evacuation of U.S. citizens in Haiti at any time, a top Pentagon official said.
U.S. SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Laura Richardson, while attending a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, was asked if Southern Command has been tasked with evacuations due to the unfolding violence and unrest in Haiti.
“SOUTHCOM has successfully airlifted embassy staff out of the country. But a number of Americans still remain in Haiti, and some may be looking to leave,” Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said at the hearing. “Some are concerned that the U.S. has not initiated a noncombatant evacuation order, a NEO, to get Americans out of Haiti. General, have you been tasked to operate an evacuation?”
“As part of the wide range of contingency plans that US SOUTHCOM has, we are ready for a NEO activation if required and have other plans ready to go, as we always do, and keep those plans refreshed over and over,” Richardson replied. “So we’re ready at any time for any type of crisis.”
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Gen. Laura Richardson speaks during a Senate committee hearing on Thursday regarding Southern Command’s readiness for a noncombatant evacuation order in Haiti. (Fox News)
Kelly pressed for further information, asking if any additional planning is underway in case the mission becomes an immediate necessity.
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Pedestrians and commuters fill a street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced Tuesday that he would resign to make way for new leadership in the country overwhelmed by violent gangs. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
“I think the two missions of increasing the security at the embassy and a little bit of my capability as well – expanding that – is the platform that we would use if we need to expand from there,” said Richardson. “And so we put in all of the necessary measures and that are necessary for any of the plans to be activated.”
Southern Command said in a statement early Wednesday that, at the request of the State Department, it deployed a “U.S. Marine Fleet-Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) to maintain strong security capabilities at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and conduct relief in place for our current Marines, a common and routine practice worldwide.”
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Armed forces secure an area of of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Radio TV Caraibe, a popular radio station in Haiti announced that it would stop broadcasting for one week to protest widespread violence in the capital. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
“The U.S. Embassy remains open, and limited operations continue, focused on assistance to U.S. citizens and supporting Haitian-led efforts to secure a peaceful transition of power,” it added.
The U.S. military already has sent forces to Haiti over the weekend to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy and airlifted non-essential personnel – such as family of diplomats – who had remained after an order for such individuals to evacuate last summer.
Department of State spokesperson Matt Miller told Fox News Digital that no plans are currently underway to rescue U.S. citizens stuck in Haiti amid the government collapse, citing state travel warnings that have been in place.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
