Jovenel Moïse, the president of Haiti has been assassinated by a team of commandos who attacked his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

At around 1am on Wednesday July 7, a group of unidentified people, including some speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the president mortally wounding the head of state. The First Lady suffered bullet injuries, said a statement released by the Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph’s office, France 24 reported.

Joseph said he was now in charge of the country.

Condemning the “inhumane and barbaric act”, Joseph called for calm, adding the police and the country’s armed forces have taken control of the security situation.