Gunmen unsuccessfully tried to assassinate Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry throughout an occasion on Saturday commemorating the Caribbean nation’s independence, his workplace mentioned in an announcement.
Henry’s workplace mentioned on Monday that “bandits and terrorists” had tried to shoot the prime minister at a church within the northern metropolis of Gonaives the place the ceremony marking the 218th anniversary of independence was happening.
Video footage broadcast on social media confirmed Henry and his entourage scrambling towards their automobiles as an armed group started capturing outdoors the cathedral in Gonaives. Haitian media pointed to doable gang involvement within the capturing, which they mentioned killed one particular person and injured two extra. Gangs’ maintain on components of Haiti has strengthened for the reason that assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.
Police, who known as Saturday’s assault the work of “armed groups,” have been unable to right away affirm casualties. Prior to the incident, an area gang boss had made threats towards Henry in native media.
The prime minister’s workplace mentioned arrest warrants had been issued for the suspects who fired on Henry’s convoy. The assault has renewed issues concerning the security of officers in Haiti since Moise’s assassination.
Henry, whose administration is dealing with mounting challenges to its legitimacy, was sworn in as prime minister barely two weeks after Moise’s killing by the hands of suspected mercenaries. The nation has but to set a date to elect Moise’s successor.
