The Federal Aviation Administration has banned flights to Haiti due to escalating gang violence.

The ban covers the next 30 days and comes after gangs fired on three planes, hitting a Spirit Airlines plane as it landed in the capital Port-au-Prince last week, CBS News reported. A flight attendant was injured and the airport was closed. The United Nations also temporarily suspended flights to the country.

JetBlue and American Airlines announced that their planes also came under fire while departing from Port-au-Prince last week.

The latest wave of violence came as Haiti named a new prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, after the ouster of Garry Connille after less than six months in office. According to media reports, Some 3,600 people have been killed in Haiti’s unrest since January and more than 500,000 have been forced from their homes.

American Embassy Alert

Last Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince issued a security alert saying it was “aware of gang-led efforts” to block travel to and from the capital, including violence armies causing disruptions on roads, ports and airports.

“The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous. Travel to Haiti is at your own risk. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your security while traveling through airports, across borders, or during any subsequent travel. You should consider your personal security situation before traveling anywhere in Haiti. Only attempt to leave Haiti or travel within Haiti if you think it is safe for you.

The island nation, once a popular travel destination for cruise ships and Caribbean travelers, remains under the State Department’s highest warning — a Level 4 — “do not travel” due to ongoing violence gangs.

According to the State Department, Haiti has been under a state of emergency since March due to widespread robberies, carjackings, sexual assaults and kidnappings, as well as killings and mob attacks. People are advised not to cross the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Embassy does not assist people entering the Dominican Republic by land, sea or air.

“The U.S. government is very limited in its ability to assist U.S. citizens in Haiti,” the department said. “Local police and other first responders often lack resources to respond to emergencies or serious crimes. »