Haiti’s security forces have killed four members of a group of “mercenaries” who assassinated President Jovenel Moïse in his home, police chief Leon Charles has said.

“The police is still in combat with the assailants,” Charles said in a televised briefing late on Wednesday, “We blocked them en route as they left the scene of the crime. Since then, we have been battling with them.” Two of the attackers had been detained. Of the rest he said: “They will be killed or captured”.

Haiti’s communications secretary, Frantz Exantus, had earlier said police had arrested the “presumed assassins” without providing any further details. Three police officers held hostage by the suspected gunmen were freed late Wednesday, Charles said.

The killing of Moïse earlier on Wednesday, and the wounding of his wife, was expected to bring more chaos to the unstable Caribbean country already beset by gang violence, soaring inflation and protests by opposition supporters who accused Moïse of increasing authoritarianism.