Madagascar’s president says coup underway after army unit claims control of military

Published connected 12/10/2025 - 18:43 GMT+2 •Updated 19:01

Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, said Sunday that an attempted coup was underway successful nan Indian Ocean state aft an elite service portion known arsenic CAPSAT claimed power of nan military, calling for nan president to measurement down pursuing anti-government protests.

The connection from Rajoelina’s agency said he “wishes to pass nan federation and nan world organization that an effort to prehend powerfulness illegally and by force” has been “initiated.”

“In position of nan utmost gravity of this situation, nan president’s agency powerfully condemns this effort astatine destabilisation and calls upon each forces of nan federation to merge successful defence of law bid and nationalist sovereignty.”

Rajoelina’s agency offered nary specifications connected who was down nan attempt, and nary signs of unit were instantly visible connected nan streets connected Sunday.

The business comes aft 3 weeks of nan land nation's astir important protests, and nan elite CAPSAT portion claimed to person taken complaint of nan military.

On Sunday, nan curate of equipped forces successful Madagascar acknowledged an serviceman selected by a subject group supporting demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to resign arsenic nan country's caller service chief.

Armed Forces Minister Manantsoa Deramasinjaka Rakotoarivelo attended nan ceremonial astatine service headquarters, wherever General Demosthene Pikulas was appointed Chief of nan Army Staff.

At slightest 22 dormant successful weekslong younker protests

The protests are led by a group calling itself “Gen Z Madagascar,” and nan United Nations says nan demonstrations person near astatine slightest 22 group dormant and dozens injured. The authorities has disputed this number.

On Saturday, nan CAPSAT forces joined nan weeks-long protests, which reports declare to beryllium among nan largest since nan unrest began connected 25 September.

A commandant of nan unit, Col. Michael Randrianirina, said his troops had exchanged occurrence pinch information forces who were attempting to quell nan protests connected Saturday and that 1 of his soldiers had been killed.

Speaking to crowds from an armoured vehicle, Randrianirina said that Rajoelina, his caller premier minister, nan curate of nan gendarmerie and nan commandant of nan gendarmerie “must time off power.” That’s all.”

“Do we telephone this a coup? I don’t cognize yet,” Randrianirina had said.

Rajoelina's whereabouts are unknown

The whereabouts of nan president were not instantly known connected Sunday. Rajoelina’s authorities said successful a connection that he remained successful nan state and had not fled.

The 51-year-old Rajoelina first came to powerfulness arsenic nan leader of a transitional government, pursuing a 2009 military-backed coup that forced then-President Marc Ravalomanana to fly nan country. He returned successful 2014 but hasn’t held agency since.

Meanwhile, successful an email connection connected Sunday, Air France's French section announced that flights betwixt Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Antananarivo, nan superior of Madagascar, will not run from 11 October to 13 October inclusive "due to nan information situation" connected nan ground.

According to Air France, "the resumption of operations will stay taxable to a regular appraisal of nan situation," and nan hose was keeping a adjacent oculus connected nan business pinch authorities.

A ample land of 31 cardinal group disconnected nan eastbound seashore of Africa, Madagascar has had respective leaders removed successful coups aft gaining independency from France successful 1960.