OREANDA-NEWS. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henri has been assassinated, Telesur reports.

Unknown assailants tried to shoot Henri during a ceremony marking the 218th anniversary of the republic's independence, which was held in the city of Gonaïves. The attack took place as the prime minister was leaving the temple where the service was being held. The prime minister was not injured, but at least one person was killed in the shooting and several others were wounded.

As the channel notes, armed groups had earlier warned Henri that he should not come to Gonaives. Because of this, security has been beefed up at the venue.

Haitian president Jovenel Moise was shot dead on July 7. The attackers broke into his house and opened fire, his wife was wounded. The assassination of the head of state took place against a backdrop of protests and a difficult political situation. Security forces have detained more than 20 suspects in Moïse's murder.

On 10 September, the Haitian prosecutor's office demanded that Henri be given the status of a defendant in the presidential assassination case. Prosecutor Bed-For-Claude asked the investigation to ban him from leaving the country. The next day the premier was summoned to the prosecutor's office after a mobile phone operator confirmed that he had spoken on the phone with one of the alleged assassins of the president a few hours after his death. 

Henri has since signed an order removing the prosecutor from office. Franz Louis Juste was appointed to the post.

Moise had appointed Henri to the post of prime minister two days before his death. Henri had not yet been sworn in by the time of his assassination, so Acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph took over. On 20 July Henri took office.