A mutinied army unit declared on Sunday that it was taking control of all Madagascar military forces as President Andry Rajoelina said an “attempt to seize power illegally” was under way.
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The contingent of administrative and technical officers – known as Capsat – joined thousands of protesters in the capital city, Antananarivo, on Saturday in a major shift in a more than two-week anti-government protest movement, sparked by anger over power and water shortages.
Local media on the scene said there was an exchange of fire between Capsat troops and pro-government security forces in which a protester and a Capsat soldier appeared to be fatally wounded.
Capsat was instrumental in propelling Rajoelina to power in 2009, when the former nightclub DJ replaced then president Marc Ravalomanana after a coup.
Before Sunday’s announcement, Capsat had declared that it would “refuse orders to shoot” and criticised the gendarmerie, who have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics against protesters, causing several deaths.
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“From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army – whether land, air or the army – will originate from Capsat headquarters,” Capsat officers claimed in Sunday’s video statement.