Elite military unit says it has seized power in Madagascar

"An elite military unit said it had taken power in Madagascar on Tuesday, after the country's parliament impeached president Andry Rajoelina after weeks of anti-government protests. Rajoelina, who said on Monday in a Facebook Live video that he had gone into hiding after attempts to kill him, had refused demands to step down, but the demonstrators won the backing of the influential Capsat unit at the weekend. On Tuesday, the presidency posted a statement saying there had been an attempted coup d'etat."

"Rajoelina has not been seen in public in Madagascar for several days. He reportedly fled the Indian Ocean island on a French military aircraft on Sunday night, after the Capsat military unit said on Saturday that it would not shoot at protesters. While no order for the military to shoot civilians had been made public, the gendarmerie, a police force controlled by the Ministry of Defence, killed demonstrators during the early days of youth-led protests that began on 25 September."

"Col Michael Randrianirina, the leader of Capsat, which is short for Corps d'administration des personnels et des services administratifs et techniques, told reporters at a government building in the capital Antananarivo on Tuesday that the military would form a council of officers from the army, gendarmerie military police and police, while a prime minister would be appointed to quickly form a civilian government."

An elite military unit, Capsat, announced it had taken power after parliament impeached President Andry Rajoelina amid weeks of anti-government protests. Rajoelina said he went into hiding after alleged attempts on his life and reportedly fled the island on a French military aircraft. The presidency described events as an attempted coup while asserting the president remains in office and maintains constitutional order. Protests began over water and electricity outages and expanded into demands for radical political reform and Rajoelina's resignation. The gendarmerie killed demonstrators early in the unrest. Capsat said it will form a council of officers and appoint a prime minister to form a civilian government.

Read at www.theguardian.com