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 country害羞草研究所檚 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 gangs害羞草研究所� demands that Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign.

害羞草研究所淲e are seriously trapped,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淲e are actually quite concerned about where this is going,害羞草研究所� he told The Associated Press by phone. 害羞草研究所淚f the police force collapses, there害羞草研究所檚 going to be anarchy in the streets, and we might be here a month or more.害羞草研究所�

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, Haiti害羞草研究所檚 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 Haiti害羞草研究所檚 two biggest prisons and attacked Port-au-Prince害羞草研究所檚 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 couldn害羞草研究所檛 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: 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 possible we could walk miles and miles to get to a border, but I害羞草研究所檓 sure that害羞草研究所檚 dangerous as well.害羞草研究所�

Despite being stuck, Phillips said he remains calm.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been shot at many times in Haiti and have bullet holes in my truck,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淧ersonally, I害羞草研究所檓 kind of used to it. But I害羞草研究所檓 sure other people, it害羞草研究所檚 quite traumatic for them.害羞草研究所�

Yvonne Trimble, who has lived in Haiti for more than 40 years, is among the U.S. expats who can害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e completely locked down,害羞草研究所� she said by phone. 害羞草研究所淭his is the worst I害羞草研究所檝e seen it. It害羞草研究所檚 total anarchy.害羞草研究所�

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 company害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e getting phone calls constantly,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he big concern is that every time people see an airplane, they think the prime minister is coming back to the country, and there害羞草研究所檚 a large segment of the society that doesn害羞草研究所檛 want that to happen. So we don害羞草研究所檛 want to be the first ones in.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 not clear when Haiti害羞草研究所檚 two international airports will reopen.

害羞草研究所淭his is difficult for us,害羞草研究所� Sands said. 害羞草研究所淲e hate seeing our planes on the ground when there害羞草研究所檚 need.害羞草研究所�

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 won害羞草研究所檛 leave because they害羞草研究所檙e in the middle of adopting a 6-year-old boy.

害羞草研究所淭here is no choice to be made. We害羞草研究所檙e here as family,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a little frustrating,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� an infant and toddler 害羞草研究所� with his Haitian wife, as well as an 18-year-old son.

The rest of his family hasn害羞草研究所檛 been able to get documents to enter the U.S. yet, so they will all stay in southern Haiti for now.

害羞草研究所淲e unfortunately seem to be stuck,害羞草研究所� he said.

Prichard noted that his son is stressed out by the situation, telling him he should leave because 害羞草研究所榯his isn害羞草研究所檛 a good place for you. Just get out of here.害羞草研究所�

But Prichard said, 害羞草研究所淎s a father, you can害羞草研究所檛 leave your kids or your family.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭he expat community here is really our solace,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 that connection, those relationships, that really are getting us through.害羞草研究所�

D谩nica Coto, The Associated Press