Residents are bracing for another tense night in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, as attacks continued across parts of the city in the aftermath of the resignation of Prime Minister Henry and in the absence of a clear plan to replace him.

The United Nations’ children’s fund has warned of record hunger and life-threatening malnutrition concentrated in the capital’s poorest, most dangerous and busiest neighbourhoods, with one in four children nationwide suffering chronic malnutrition, or stunting.

Satellite images on Thursday showed shipping containers blocking access to heavy cranes at the country’s main cargo port, which shut operations after a break-in, and set up around the country’s National Palace, the site of heavy shooting last week.

Local media reported police were facing off late on Friday with gangs in the Delmas area, traditionally a stronghold of the G9 alliance led by Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier.

Henry, the country’s unelected prime minister, said he would step down on Monday as he faced international pressure while stranded in Puerto Rico, as an escalation of fighting in the capital prevented him from returning home.

Sean Penn and Bill Clinton are advocates for Haiti’s poor and wretched. Photo: Getty

His resignation is pending the appointment of an interim replacement chosen by a transition council, but the members of the council have yet to be decided and some political groups tapped for representation have rejected the plan, proposed by regional leaders, or been unable to unite their factions.

Cherizier this week threatened politicians who take part in the council and said Henry’s resignation marked just “a first step in the battle” for the Caribbean nation.

Local outlet Gazette Haiti reported that meetings on a compromise were set to take place on Saturday.

-AAP