Elite military unit joined the demonstrations and claimed control of the armed forces.

An elite army unit joined weeks of anti-government protests in Madagascar and declared it had seized control of the military, prompting President Andry Rajoelina to announce an attempted coup was underway. CAPSAT soldiers called for Rajoelina and government officials to resign after three weeks of youth-led demonstrations left at least 22 people dead, according to the United Nations. The same military unit helped bring Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup, and Col. Michael Randrianirina denied staging a coup while claiming his forces had installed a new military leader. The protests began over electricity and water shortages but expanded to include grievances about poverty, corruption, and the cost of living.

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https://apnews.com/article/madagascar-protests-attempted-coup-e6dd29a429e06362efd238cfac7270d0