Embattled Aristide flees Haiti
US ambassador to Haiti James Foley said international military forces "will rapidly be in Haiti" and urged the rebels who forced out the president to lay down their arms.
Mr Aristide left early yesterday morning, 24 days after the uprising began in the poorest country in the Americas.
His destination was unclear but first reports said he flew initially to the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
Within hours, Haitian chief justice Boniface Alexandre was named as his replacement as laid out in the constitution.
But turmoil continued in the streets, with armed gangs looting the capital and rebels poised to advance from other towns.
Prime Minister Yvon Neptune read a statement by Aristide in which he said he resigned to avoid bloodshed. With the rebels closing in on the sprawling capital, Port-au-Prince, many feared a battle for control between them and Mr Aristide's militant supporters.
The Haitian consul in neighbouring Dominican Republic said Mr Aristide was probably travelling to Morocco, but Morocco said it would not grant him political asylum.
Unconfirmed media reports from Haiti said Mr Aristide had been escorted to a private plane by US military personnel. Some said he may be taken to Panama.
Reaction to news of Mr Aristide's departure in the streets of Port-au-Prince, was swift and angry.
Armed bands of "chimeres", the most militant and ruthless of Mr Aristide's supporters from the slums roamed the city in pickup trucks, armed with shotguns and other weapons.
A US official in Washington said Mr Aristide's departure had averted a bloodbath. "We managed to stave that off. But we are heading into another dangerous period because any vacuum in Haiti could also be dangerous," he said.
Mr Aristide's departure came after pressure from the US, France and other nations for him to resign and end the revolt, which has killed nearly 70 people.
The Aristide militants had been set to give the rebels a tough fight if they did move in, and the city had descended into chaos in recent days. Many foreigners fled this week. Looters hit a police station in Petionville, an upscale suburb in the hills above the capital.
On a major thoroughfare, a barricade constructed of burning tyres sent a wall of thick, black smoke along the street. Aristide supporters drove up and added more tyres to fuel the fire.
The United States, which invaded the country in 1994 to restore Aristide to power, has been criticised for acting too slowly in the current crisis. But by the end of the week Washington had made clear it had lost faith in Mr Aristide and his departure was a matter of time.
"It's great for the country," said Charles Baker, a leader of a coalition of opposition civic and political groups. "Now we're partying. Then we'll get back to work," he said.
Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide said yesterday that he had resigned as leader of the violence-wracked country to avoid bloodshed.
"My resignation will avoid bloodshed," Mr Aristide said in a statement read by Prime Minister Yvon Neptune. "Life for everyone, death for no one."
"I decided to respect and make people respect the constitution," Mr Aristide said. "The constitution should not drown in the blood of Haitian people. Haiti will have life and peace."
Mr Neptune appealed for calm following Aristide's resignation.
"(Aristide) accepted to leave office ... with the understanding that the constitution should be respected," he said.
"We urge all Haitians ... to commit to peace, to calm," he said. "I launch a solemn appeal to national police to resume their duties."
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