A unit of Madagascar’s army announced on Sunday that it has taken control of the country’s armed forces, signaling a deepening political crisis as President Andry Rajoelina denounced the move as an illegal attempt to seize power.
The CAPSAT unit, made up of administrative and technical officers, joined a mass protest in the capital on Saturday, a significant turn in a protest movement that began over two weeks ago, largely driven by frustrations with worsening power and water shortages.
In a video released Sunday, the CAPSAT officers said:
“From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army, whether land, air, or sea, will originate from CAPSAT headquarters.”
The unit had earlier refused orders to suppress protests, condemning the gendarmerie for alleged brutality that resulted in several civilian deaths.
On Saturday, CAPSAT soldiers clashed with gendarmes outside their barracks before entering Antananarivo aboard military vehicles to join cheering demonstrators calling for Rajoelina’s resignation.
President Rajoelina responded with a statement on Sunday, calling the action “an illegal and forceful attempt to take power,” and urged for dialogue and national unity as the only solution to the crisis.
Meanwhile, in a rare admission, gendarmerie officers acknowledged “excesses” during earlier operations and called for reconciliation with the army.
Saturday’s protest in the capital was one of the largest since the unrest began on September 25.
Emergency services reported two more deaths and 26 injuries during the weekend clashes, adding to a death toll that the UN said has reached at least 22, a figure the government disputes.
Rajoelina claimed only 12 confirmed fatalities, all of whom he described as “looters and vandals.” CAPSAT said one of its own soldiers was killed by gendarmes.
Despite the turmoil, government officials insisted that the president remains in the country and continues to oversee state affairs.
The newly appointed prime minister also reaffirmed that the government is “standing strong” and open to dialogue.
This is the most significant military defection since 2009, when the same Soanierana base played a key role in the uprising that brought Rajoelina to power.
