Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has warned of an attempted coup, stating that the country is experiencing an "illegal and violent seizure of power." This comes after soldiers from the elite CAPSAT unit joined mass protests that have been ongoing since late September. Reuters reports this, writes UNN.
Details
The protests, which began due to water and electricity shortages, have escalated into a political movement demanding the president's resignation and the dissolution of parliament. On Sunday, thousands of people gathered in Antananarivo, the country's capital, to express support for the movement and to honor the memory of a soldier from the elite CAPSAT unit who, according to his colleagues, died from gendarmerie bullets during the protests.
The CAPSAT unit itself – the same forces that helped Rajoelina come to power during the 2009 coup – has now become a center of resistance. Their representatives have called on the army to "support the people" and refuse to obey government orders. In video messages circulated on social media, the military stated that they would take over the coordination of all armed units in the country from their base on the outskirts of Antananarivo.
Amid reports of gunfire near the CAPSAT barracks, in which at least three people were wounded, officials from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff refrained from comment.
The gendarmerie, in response, stated that it is subordinate exclusively to the National Command Center, emphasizing its loyalty to the current government.
Rajoelina called for dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the crisis and condemned attempts to destabilize the state.
Recall
On Saturday, for the first time since the protests began last month, demonstrators gathered in May 13 Square in Antananarivo under military protection.