kathmandu,Nepal  – Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse has been killed in an attack on his home in the nation’s capital, according to the country’s interim prime minister.

Claude Joseph said the president’s home in Port-au-Prince was stormed by unidentified armed men at 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT). First Lady Martine Moïse was also injured in the attack.

Mr Joseph said that “all measures had been taken to guarantee the continuity of the state”.

He has now taken control of the impoverished Caribbean nation, and has urged the public to remain calm.

He called the shooting of the president a “heinous, inhuman and barbaric act”.

Mr Moïse’s time in office was rocky as he faced accusations of corruption and was challenged by waves of often violent anti-government protests.

There were widespread protests in the capital and other cities earlier this year, as people demanded his resignation.

Haiti’s opposition said that Mr Moïse’s five-year term should have ended on 7 February 2021, five years to the day since Mr Martelly stepped down.

But there had been a year’s delay to elections after that, and Mr Moïse insisted he had one more year to serve as he did not take office until 7 February 2017.

In February, on the day the opposition wanted him to leave office, Mr Moïse said an attempt to kill him and overthrow the government has been foiled.