Jovonel Mo？se, 53, was killed at about 1am this morning by a group of assailants, Haitian prime minister Claude Joseph has said. The official statement said the perpetrators were Spanish-speaking no further details have yet been released. The prime minister said the first lady, Martine Mo？se, was also injured in the attack and was rushed to hospital.

       She was being treated at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince where doctors did everything they could to save her life.

       But the First Lady later died of her injuries.

       The prime minister's statement said: “A group of individuals who have not been identified, some of whom were speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the President of the Republic and fatally injured the Head of State."

       Mr Joseph condemned the “odious, inhuman, and barbaric act” and appealed for calm, adding: “All measures have been taken to ensure the continuity of the State and to protect the Nation. Democracy and the Republic will win out."

       Officials are understood to have closed the international airport of Port-au-Prince shortly after the assissination took place.

       Several scheduled flights to the airport in the Haitian capital have been cancelled or diverted to other terminals in third countries, according to information from flight tracking pages.

       This has not yet been officially confirmed.

       The Dominican Republic has decided to close its borders in the wake of the assassination.

       President Luis Abinader summoned his main military commanders to assess the best course of action.

       The president ordered the urgent reinforcement of military surveillance and security actions along the border line.

       Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a border that is very active in the illegal movement of people and goods.

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       Earlier this year bitter unrest erupted in the Cabribbean nation, with protestors demanding the resignation of Mr Mo？se.

       The thousands of demonstrators questioned the president's legitimacy, as they say his five-year term should have ended on February, 7, 2021 - five years to the day since his predecessor Michel Martelly stepped down.

       But Mr Mo？se, however, insists he has one more year to serve as he did not take office until 7 February 2017.

       The year-long delay was caused by allegations of electoral fraud which eventually saw the result of the 2015 election being annulled and fresh polls being held, which were won by Mr Mo？se.

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       Earlier this year Mr Mo？se said an assassination plot against him had been foiled by his security agencies.

       He said in Februrary: “I thank my head of security at the palace.

       "The goal of these people was to make an attempt on my life... That plan was aborted.”

       Additional reporting by Maria Ortega