TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Three aid workers based in Haiti safely reached the Dominican Republic, but 15 Taiwanese remain amid a high level of unrest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Saturday (April 13).

The three were working in Artibonite, but due to gang warfare tearing the country apart, the Taiwan embassy decided to help them leave the country. They flew out to the neighboring Dominican Republic Friday (April 12) afternoon, MOFA said.

Because of gang control over the major access roads, Artibonite has shortages of food and fuel, according to the Taiwan embassy. For the safety of the aid workers, it called in assistance from friendly nations to airlift them out of the region and out of the country.

MOFA thanked the friendly governments, which it did not name, and the Taiwanese community in the Dominican Republic for taking care of the aid team. There were still 15 Taiwanese workers and business people left in Haiti, while the embassy is functioning normally, MOFA said.

Haiti is one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.