Dozens of foreigners, including many from the United States and Canada, are stranded in Haiti, desperately trying to leave the violence-torn country where anti-government gangs are battling police and have already shut down both of the countryB次元官网网址檚 international airports.

They were in Haiti for reasons ranging from adoptions to missionary and humanitarian work. Now, they are locked down in hotels and homes, unable to leave by air, sea or land as Haiti remains paralyzed by the mayhem and the gangsB次元官网网址� demands that Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign.

B次元官网网址淲e are seriously trapped,B次元官网网址� said Richard Phillips, a 65-year-old from the Canadian capital, Ottawa, who has traveled to Haiti more than three dozen times to work on projects for the United Nations, USAID and now, a Haitian nonprofit called Papyrus.

After arriving in Haiti in late February, Phillips flew to the southern coastal city of Les Cayes to teach farmers and others how to operate and repair tractors, cultivators, planters and other machinery in an area known for its corn, rice, peas and beans.

Once his work was done, Phillips flew to the capital, Port-au-Prince, only to find that his flight had been canceled. He stayed at a nearby hotel, but the gunfire was relentless, so moved on to a safer area.

B次元官网网址淲e are actually quite concerned about where this is going,B次元官网网址� he told The Associated Press by phone. B次元官网网址淚f the police force collapses, thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be anarchy in the streets, and we might be here a month or more.B次元官网网址�

Scores of people have been killed in the gang attacks that began Feb. 29, and more than 15,000 people have been left homeless by the violence.

Earlier this week, HaitiB次元官网网址檚 government extended a state of emergency and nightly curfew to try and quell the violence, but the attacks continue.

Gangs have burned police stations, released more than 4,000 inmates from HaitiB次元官网网址檚 two biggest prisons and attacked Port-au-PrinceB次元官网网址檚 main airport, which remains closed. As a result, the prime minister has been unable to return home after a trip to Kenya to push for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country.

Phillips said he has exhausted all options to leave Haiti by air, noting that a helicopter operator couldnB次元官网网址檛 get insured for such a flight and a private plane pilot said that approach would be too risky. As for trying to trek to the neighboring Dominican Republic: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 possible we could walk miles and miles to get to a border, but IB次元官网网址檓 sure thatB次元官网网址檚 dangerous as well.B次元官网网址�

Despite being stuck, Phillips said he remains calm.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been shot at many times in Haiti and have bullet holes in my truck,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧ersonally, IB次元官网网址檓 kind of used to it. But IB次元官网网址檓 sure other people, itB次元官网网址檚 quite traumatic for them.B次元官网网址�

Yvonne Trimble, who has lived in Haiti for more than 40 years, is among the U.S. expats who canB次元官网网址檛 leave.

She and her husband are in the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien, waiting for a private evacuation flight for missionaries that had already been canceled once.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e completely locked down,B次元官网网址� she said by phone. B次元官网网址淭his is the worst IB次元官网网址檝e seen it. ItB次元官网网址檚 total anarchy.B次元官网网址�

Trimble noted how a mob surrounded the airport in Cap-Haitien recently and began throwing rocks and bottles following a rumor that the prime minister was going to land.

She and her husband are scheduled to fly out next week courtesy of Florida-based Missionary Flights International.

The companyB次元官网网址檚 vice president of administration, Roger Sands, said Missionary Flights International has received up to 40 calls from people hoping to leave or remain on standby.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e getting phone calls constantly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he big concern is that every time people see an airplane, they think the prime minister is coming back to the country, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a large segment of the society that doesnB次元官网网址檛 want that to happen. So we donB次元官网网址檛 want to be the first ones in.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 not clear when HaitiB次元官网网址檚 two international airports will reopen.

B次元官网网址淭his is difficult for us,B次元官网网址� Sands said. B次元官网网址淲e hate seeing our planes on the ground when thereB次元官网网址檚 need.B次元官网网址�

A missionary couple who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of their safety said they have been living in Haiti for several years but wonB次元官网网址檛 leave because theyB次元官网网址檙e in the middle of adopting a 6-year-old boy.

B次元官网网址淭here is no choice to be made. WeB次元官网网址檙e here as family,B次元官网网址� the woman said.

Meanwhile, her husband was supposed to fly to the U.S. last week for medical care since he has Type 1 diabetes and has developed a neuropathy that causes severe pain in his legs and back, and muscle-wasting in his legs, making it difficult to move.

For now, the four appointments he made are on hold.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little frustrating,B次元官网网址� he said.

Also unable to leave are Matt Prichard, a 35-year-old from Lebanon, Ohio, and his family. Prichard, COO of a missionary, has two children B次元官网网址� an infant and toddler B次元官网网址� with his Haitian wife, as well as an 18-year-old son.

The rest of his family hasnB次元官网网址檛 been able to get documents to enter the U.S. yet, so they will all stay in southern Haiti for now.

B次元官网网址淲e unfortunately seem to be stuck,B次元官网网址� he said.

Prichard noted that his son is stressed out by the situation, telling him he should leave because B次元官网网址榯his isnB次元官网网址檛 a good place for you. Just get out of here.B次元官网网址�

But Prichard said, B次元官网网址淎s a father, you canB次元官网网址檛 leave your kids or your family.B次元官网网址�

He said the local grocery store has nearly run out of basic goods and gas has been hard to find.

B次元官网网址淭he expat community here is really our solace,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 that connection, those relationships, that really are getting us through.B次元官网网址�

D谩nica Coto, The Associated Press