Madagascar’s presidency says “an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” was under way in the African nation, without offering any evidence, a day after some soldiers joined a protest movement that started last month.

In a statement on Sunday, President Andry Rajoelina accused unknown actors of attempting the coup, a day after soldiers publicly sided with protesters demanding his resignation.

Recommended Stories

list of 2 itemsend of list

The troops from the elite CAPSAT unit that helped Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests, which began on September 25 and are posing the most serious challenge to Rajoelina’s rule since his reelection in 2023.

More to come…