YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Haitian President Jovenel Moise has survived an assassination attempt in the capital Port-au-Prince, according to local media reports. 

Unidentified gunmen opened gunfire at a commemoration ceremony marking the 212th anniversary of the death of the first ruler of independent Haiti, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, which was attended by Moise, Haiti Libre reported.

Local media described the incident as an assassination attempt.

President Moise was uninjured but two of his bodyguards were wounded as they shielded the Haitian leader from the gunfire.

The attack comes against the backdrop of ongoing protests in Haiti. Earlier local media said that thousands were demonstrating in the streets against alleged misuse of funds from a Venezuela-sponsored oil assistance program to the country. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan