Madagascar president claims assassination attempt amid coup unrest
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has claimed he’s hiding in a “safe place” after what he called an assassination attempt against him. In a Facebook live broadcast, he accused a group of military personnel and politicians of plotting to kill him. While he didn’t disclose his location, rumors suggest he may have fled on a French military aircraft.
This announcement follows the government’s statement that it thwarted an “illegal attempt” to seize power, after intense gunfire rocked the capital, Antananarivo, over the weekend. The violence was linked to youth-led protests against Rajoelina’s rule, driven by rising costs, corruption, and his increasingly authoritarian style. Calls for calm have come from the African Union and South Africa, urging all sides to respect constitutional order.
