Haiti police search streets near Taiwan's embassy

Taiwan's foreign ministry says Haitian police have arrested 11 armed suspects who tried to break into the its embassy in Port-au-Prince. It gave no details of the suspects' identities or a reason for the break-in.

In the neighborhood of Morne Calvaire where the Embassy is located, residents are ever vigilant to the possibility that suspects are hiding.

"Everybody in the neighborhood is watching their houses making sure that no one is hiding," said Armand, a resident who preferred not to give his last name and had come out to speak with police conducting a search of the area.

"We are aware that weapons and gear were found so it is quite obvious that these guys are hiding somewhere."

During a press briefing Thursday night in Port-au-Prince, Haitian officials upped the number of arrested suspects in the killing of President Jovenel Moise from 6 to 17, but did not mention where the additional 11 were captured.

"As for whether the suspects were involved in the assassination of the President of Haiti, that will need to be investigated by the Haitian police," Taiwan's Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou told The Associated Press in Taipei.

Taiwanese officials said local police were alerted by embassy security guards while Taiwanese diplomats were working from home.

The ministry said some doors and windows were broken but there was no other damage to the embassy.

Haiti is one of a handful of countries worldwide that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of the rival mainland Chinese government in Beijing.

Seventeen suspects have been detained so far in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and Haitian authorities say two are believed to hold dual U.S.-Haitian citizenship and Colombia's government says at least six are former members of its army.

Eight more suspects are being sought.

Léon Charles, chief of Haiti's National Police, said Thursday night that 15 of the detainees were from Colombia.

The streets of the capital are eerily quite with residents hunkered down in their homes and only a few cars on the streets and businesses closed for the time being.