Gunmen attack Haitian prison

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Heavily armed gunmen attacked Haiti’s national penitentiary Saturday, killing one guard in a shootout that allowed some prisoners to escape, Haitian and U.N. peacekeeping officials said. Guards rushed two jailed allies of ousted leader President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to a secret location when inmates began rioting.

Damian Onses-Cardona, a spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping force, told the Associated Press that former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and former Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert were later turned over to U.N. soldiers.

“They are now in the protective custody of the U.N.,” Onses-Cardona said. “They have agreed to return to the prison.”

Authorities were investigating whether the attack was aimed at freeing Neptune and Privert, but neither man tried to get away, Onses-Cardona said.

Some prisoners did escape, but it was not clear how many, he said.

At least one guard was killed, authorities said.